oil, charcoal, pastel, fabric and thread on paper
Artwork date: 2016
Signature details: signed and dated bottom left
Sold for R140,700
Estimated at R120,000 - R160,000
Condition Report
The overall condition is excellent.
Please note, we are not qualified conservators and these reports give our opinion as to the general condition of the works. We advise that bidders view the lots in person to satisfy themselves with the condition of prospective purchases.
oil, charcoal, pastel, fabric and thread on paper
Artwork date: 2016
Signature details: signed and dated bottom left
(1)
150 x 140 cm; framed size: 165.5 x 155.5 x 8.5 cm
Provenance:
Private collection, Cape Town.
ABOUT THE ARTWORK
Neo Matloga is best known for his depictions of what he calls “socially confirmed scenes”[1] – people dancing, sitting together, talking, sharing a drink, or smoking. He elaborates, “I chose to make work that reflects on daily dramas, love affairs, gatherings, and conversations,” and “seek to offer insights into human nature and everyday living.”[2]
Growing up in post-apartheid South Africa, Matloga’s childhood was shaped by the country’s evolving cultural and social landscape. Immersed in music, literature, and visual arts from an early age, he developed a practice that meditates on the healing power of family and home – capturing fleeting moments of joy and connection.
Drawing inspiration from family photo albums, South African soap operas, and theatre, Matloga crafts scenes that are both deeply personal and universally resonant. While rooted in his own experience, his work reflects a broader narrative of South African culture and the wider Black diaspora. “I hope the audience will see their emotions, their experiences, their spirits living on my canvases,” he says.[3]
This early work, completed in 2016 as part of the series of works titled, Moo re tswang gona, which were shown at Christopher Moller Gallery at the FNB Johannesburg Art Fair, offers an intriguing glimpse into Matloga’s artistic evolution. The series’ title, translated from Sepedi as Where we come from, speaks to a sense of origin and belonging. Already, we see Matloga pushing beyond the surface of the image – engaging with paper as more than just a substrate but as an integral part of the work’s materiality. Most notably, this marks the beginning of his signature collage practice. Printed fabrics, likely a nod to home and heritage, introduce another dimension to his figures, foreshadowing the dynamic experimentation that would define his later work. His depictions of people dancing, a recurring theme in his practice, can already be seen in this early work – capturing movement, rhythm, and the communal joy that remains central to his artistic vision.
[1] Oberholzer, S. (2020). Neo Matloga’s art is all about connection. Sowetan Live. [Online]. Available: https://www.sowetanlive.co.za/s-mag/2020-07-23-neo-matlogas-art-is-all-about-connection/
[2] Ibid
[3] Avant Arte. (2025). [Online]. Available: https://avantarte.com/artists/neo-image-matloga?tab=about
COLLECTIONS:
The artist is represented in numerous local and international collections, notably, the South African Embassy, Washington DC.; ABN AMRO Foundation, Netherlands; City of Ekurhuleni, Gauteng; Chazen Museum of Art, Wisconsin; Thami Mnyele Foundation, Netherlands; Fries Museum, Netherlands; SMAK, the Municipal Museum of Contemporary Art, Gent; The Swizz Beatz art collection and Dordrechts Museum, Netherlands.
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Logistics
While we endeavour to assist our Clients as much as possible, we require artwork(s) to be delivered and/or collected from our premises by the Client. In instances where a Client is unable to deliver or collect artwork(s), Aspire staff is available to assist in this process by outsourcing the services to one of our preferred Service Providers. The cost for this will be for the Client’s account, with an additional Handling Fee of 15% charged on top of the Service Provider’s invoice.
Aspire Art provides inter-company transfer services for its Clients between Johannesburg and Cape Town branches. These are based on the size of the artwork(s), and charged as follows:
Small (≤60x90x10 cm): R480
Medium (≤90x120x15 cm): R960
Large (≤120x150x20 cm): R1,440
Over-size: Special quote
Should artwork(s) be collected or delivered to/from Clients by Aspire Art directly, the following charges will apply:
Collection/delivery ≤20km: R400
Collection/delivery 20km>R800≤50km
Collection/delivery >50km: Special quote
Packaging
A flat fee of R100 will be added to the invoice for packaging of unframed works on paper.
International Collectors Shipping Package
For collectors based outside South Africa who purchase regularly from Aspire Art’s auctions in South Africa, it does not make sense to ship artworks individually or per auction and pay shipping every time you buy another work. Consequently, we have developed a special collectors’ shipping package to assist in reducing shipping costs and the constant demands of logistics arrangements.
For buyers from outside South Africa, we will keep the artworks you have purchased in storage during the year and then ship all the works you have acquired during the year together, so the shipping costs are reduced. At the end of the annual period, we will source various quotes to get you the best price, and ship all your artworks to your desired address at once.
Aspire Art will arrange suitable storage during, and cost-effective shipping at the end, of the annual period.
Collections
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Clients are requested to contact the relevant office and inform Aspire Art of which artwork(s) they would like to collect, and allow a 24-hour window for Aspire Art’s logistics department to retrieve the artwork(s) and prepare them for collection.
Handling Fee
Aspire Art charges a 15% Handling Fee on all Logistics, Framing, Restoration and Conservation arranged by Aspire.