
Ever-increasing global interest in art from Africa is changing the
art market To meet this growing demand, Aspire Art Auctions has
partnered with Paris-based auction house Piasa, to introduce an Africa
focussed auction that presents some of the best examples of modern and
contemporary art produced on the continent. This collaboration is
unprecedented and represents the first time an African and European
auction house have partnered to present a sale of African art, in
Africa, for a global audience.
The Modern and Contemporary African Art auction takes place on Friday, 14 February at OroAfrica House in Cape Town. The curated collection comprises 198 lots, featuring 139 artists from Africa and the diaspora, and whilst it presents a broader pan-African offering, it spotlights various key collecting segments within 20th century modernism, contemporary production and photography.
” Aspire Art Auctions has partnered with Paris-based auction house Piasa, to introduce an Africa-focused auction that presents some of the best examples of modern and contemporary art produced on the continent”
The auction introduces a remarkable painting by Chéri Samba (Congo), internationally regarded as the most in-demand African artist on the auction circuit. Retour au Bercail, 1995, (R225 000 – 300 000) is the first work by the artist to be offered at auction in South Africa. Other prominent artists debuting locally on auction include Aboudia Abdoulaye Diarrassouba (Ivory Coast), with two expressive mixed media works from the mid-1990s, Marc Padeu (Cameroon), Salah Elmur (Sudan) with an enchanting work The Green Forest, 2016 (R195 000 – 255 000) as well as Gareth Nyandoro (Zimbabwe) with his 2016 paper-based work titled Tauya Nadzo Tsoka Dzenyu (Brand New Second Hand Nikes), estimated at R180 000 – 240 000.

Collectors of contemporary art will be particularly interested in works by Kudzanai Chiurai (Zimbabwe), Zemba Luzamba (Congo) and Kay Hassan, alongside alongside Mustafa Maluka, Moshekwa Langa, Wim Botha and Zander Blom. Adding to the strength of the overall offering is a striking city-scape Full Moon, 2017 (R100,000–150,000) by the late, much celebrated David Koloane.

An impressive range of drawings and sculpture by William Kentridge leads this contemporary selection. The mixed media work Whilst Reaching Down (Slowly), 2013, (R3 – 5 million) presents a series of drawings on dictionary paper highlighting the artist’s interest in drawing text and animation.

Adorning the catalogue cover is a superb, early painting by internationally acclaimed Marlene Dumas, never before seen on the market.
Expressive and powerful, Oktober 1973 is only the third Dumas painting ever offered at auction in South Africa. Estimated at R3–5m, the work is set to attract significant interest.

A strong lead of women artists which showcases an exceptional still life painting by Irma Stern’ from 1954. African and Chinese ceramics with oranges and open book reflects Stern’s sophistication, love of travel, her delight in the discovery of diverse cultures and their artefacts, and her mastery of oil painting. Helen Sebidi’s colourful Figures and birds, 1991 (R80 000 – 120 000) will appeal to the dedicated collector.
Contemporary highlights include work by Lisa Brice, Deborah Poynton and Frances Goodman, as well as Georgina Gratrix’s compelling portrait Girl with Purple Hair, 2013 (R250 000 – 350 000) and Mary Sibande’s striking photograph, A Terrible Beauty is Born (from the Long Live the Dead Queen series), 2013 (R300 000 – 400 000).

Aspire has made meaningful advances in developing the market for photography at auction, and the exciting range of photographic works and lens-based media will thrill collectors. Rarely exhibited in South Africa and also making its inaugural local auction appearance, is an early 1980s photograph by the late Nigerian/British photographer Rotimi Fani-Keyode. Legendary photographer David Goldblatt is represented
with well-known images from the seminal photobooks Some Afrikaners Photographed and TJ/Johannesburg Photographs.
TO VIEW CATALOGUE
ASPIRE X PIASA AUCTION DATE:
Friday 14 February at 3 pm
NEW VENUE:
OroAfrica House, 170 Buitengracht Street, Cape Town
PREVIEW DAYS:
Wednesday 12 February 12 to 5 pm
Thursday 13 February 10 am to 5 pm
Friday 14 February 10 am to 3 pm
ENQUIRIES:
Cape Town | +27 21 418 0765 |
ct@aspireart.net