SHADES: Autumn 22 Auction Highlights | People and Places

Welcoming the change of colours of the new season, Aspire Art presents SHADES: AUTUMN 22, a Timed Online art auction taking place from 19-26 April 2022. We’ve created a strong collection of exceptional and innovative works by local art world favourites for easy collecting.

Our art specialists have picked their favourite works from the collection.

Which are your favourite works from the collection?

My favourite works are selected from our People and Places (lots 29-142) category in our timed online auction.

Norman Catherine’s work is so distinctive, and I absolutely love his macabre sense of humour which always shines through in his work, especially in his representation of our country’s political landscape.

These two works are some of my favourites from our online timed auction. In the work I’m holding titled Man Eater (lot 106) – and the work behind me titled – Man and cactus (lot 107) – the combination of his dark cynicism and exuberant humour really shines through. Norman Catherine’s idiosyncratic artworks and sculptures have secured his place at the forefront of South African contemporary art and these two works are at an accessible price and really do belong together as pair!

Lot 93 | Nelson Makamo, Street scene, 2011

Estimate ZAR20 000-30 000

I also love this early work from Nelson Makamo titled Street scene (lot 93). Joburg is one of my favourite places and this work reminds me of a typical day in the bustling city, a scene the artist would have looked out on often from his studio in downtown Johannesburg.

Lot 118 | Williams Chechet, Nima, Portrait with glasses

Estimate ZAR12 000-18 000

Williams Chechet is a Lagos-based artist known for his vibrant animated portraits of Nigeria’s people, politicians and traditional leaders. Nima, Portrait with glasses (lot 118) is a great example of his work, I love how his works embrace history as a visual language while infusing elements of pop-art and pop-culture.

Best advice for starting your art collection?

I recommend being very structured in your approach to buying art. There are a few steps you can follow.

The first is developing an eye for the art you like, in other words defining your taste. This involves going to gallery exhibitions, attending art fairs, visiting art museums, attending panel discussions or walkabout with the artists and or curators. This is the start, the foundation to mastering the art buying process.

Your next step is to narrow down what you like and look at specific artworks you like. This needs some knowledge of how the art business works so familiarize yourself with gallerists, art dealers or an art advisor whose role is to walk you through the art buying process and help you select the best works of art that you love, that are within your budget and best suited for you. As your experience and relationships with people in the art world matures you will make better selections and increasingly buy works that have investment value as your purchasing power grows or as your ability to select quality works of art increases.