Trevor Makhoba; South African 1956-2003; Herding Cattle ,circa early 1990's
Procedencia : Acquired from the artist by the current owner.
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Notas : The present lot, featuring a farmer herding their cattle, exemplifies Trevor Makhoba's celebrated productions of social-realist portrayals of rural KwaZulu-Natal life. This quiet pastoral scene deviates from the artist's typical provocative paintings which grapple with taboo themes of race, gender, sexuality and political change though still provides a poignant commentary on the life of those living in the region. This work takes on a different tonal appearance to his later works, being grounded in a naturalistic palette instead of highly vibrant and contrasted compositions. The brush strokes are short and distinct, suggesting an element of life-drawing and 'sketchiness' instead of a planned and meticulous composition. This work appears to be a possible study for Makhoba's Azibuye Emasisweni (1999), currently in the collection of the South African National Gallery. The title alludes to a return to the source. This work served as an example of the interface between the traditional symbols of wealth, represented by cattle, and the modern development of the tarred road they are being herded upon. This providing social-realist commentary of the transition into a new-age of South Africa, reclaiming a once divided land and a shift towards equal economic opportunity. Furthermore, a reproduction exists as a stamp, executed as an offset lithograph and produced in 2005.1 Trevor Makhoba, a self-taught artist of remarkable originality, is celebrated for his provocative paintings from the 1990s and early 2000s, which grapple with taboo themes of race, gender, sexuality and political change. His imaginative figurative style - with its precedents in medieval depictions of death, Christian iconography, and comic book exaggeration - was deeply rooted in Zulu folklore and Pentecostal influences. While he often employed allegory and fantasy to address societal issues, Makhoba also produced social-realist portrayals of rural KwaZulu-Natal life, including scenes of cattle herding. Art historian Juliette Leeb-du Toit, who knew Makhoba, highlights his art's connection to Zulu praise poetry (izibongo) and musical traditions like maskandi, which frequently reference cattle herding. A saxophonist, Makhoba led the band Trevor Makhoba and the Persuaders during the 1980s before finding acclaim as a painter in the 1990s.2 1. Colnect (n.d.) Stamp catalog, online, https://colnect.com/en/stamps/list/country/197-South_Africa/series/169741-Landscape_Paintings, 31 January 2025. 2. Juliette Leeb-du Toit (2005), 'Phila Trevor Makhoba's Narratives and Mores: a Dialectics of Artistic and Intellectual Leadership', in Trevor Makhoba Memorial Exhibition, Durban Art Gallery, page 37. Mario Pissarra (2018) ASAI, Dogs on Duty: The unsettling aesthetic of Trevor Makhoba, online, https://asai.co.za/dogs-on-duty-trevor makhoba/, accessed 30 January 2025.
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