Dear GP ClarkBrown
Artist
Feature: Walter Whall Battiss:
Walter Battiss was one of South Africa’s most celebrated and unconventional artists. Known for his radical vision and relentless pursuit of artistic freedom, his work defied the rigid boundaries of tradition, embracing
a philosophy that art belonged to the present moment. Battiss’s fascination with archaeology and San rock art informed much of his early work, where elongated, indistinct figures emerged as a signature motif inspired by ancient imagery. As his
career progressed, his exposure to global influences—particularly from his travels to the Middle East, America, and Greece—led to a broadening of both his thematic and technical approach. By the 1960s, Battiss had begun experimenting with the
sgrafitto technique, scratching through layers of oil paint to reveal textured, vibrant compositions, often imbued with sensual, playful, and sometimes absurd imagery.
This period culminated in his most iconic conceptual creation, Fook Island: a fictional utopia, of which Norman Catherine is king, complete with its own language, currency, passports, and cultural artifacts, offering a joyful, irreverent response to
the repression of the apartheid era. Battiss’s later works, saturated with colour and surreal eroticism, challenge taboos while celebrating imagination and human connection. A prolific painter, printmaker, and scholar, Battiss left behind an
expansive body of work that continues to resonate through its innovative spirit, cultural depth, and unwavering optimism. His legacy, as both an artist and thinker, reflects a lifelong dedication to exploring humanity in all its complexity and
contradiction—anchored in Africa but unbounded by convention.
Browse various categories and contact us for any condition reports or for more information as we build up to the live auction on the 22nd, 23rd and 24th of April 2025.
We will be having extended weekday viewings for this auction, both offices from 15-17 April 2025, between 10am - 20h00pm. Please note that jewellery, gemstones, watches and coins will be strictly by appointment only in the Johannesburg
branch. Please supply us with the lot number you are interested in viewing and we will make them available to you.
For any enquiries or condition reports, please contact our Johannesburg/ Cape Town offices on
011 880 3125 or 021 794 6461 or email: info@swelco.co.za
