Consulter la cote et le prix de Pemba, George THE UNPUBLISHED LETTERS OF GEORGE PEMBA WRITTEN TO ANDREW REED 1979 TO 1998 Port Elizabeth: 1979-1998 A remarkable collection of 190 letters, filed in date order, in their original envelopes written by the well-known South African artist, George Pemba to his friend Andrew Reed, plus 2 others in facsimile. They are mostly one-page and two-page hand written letters. Through an initial interview with Pemba for Professor Tim Couzens of the University of the Witwatersrand, other visits followed and a friendship that would last for the next 20 years sprang up between Pemba and Reed. As Reed writes: We began corresponding by letter on everything under the sun, but being a journalist with an interest in history I tended to ask him lots of questions about his artistic career and his literary and art contemporaries, such as the writer SEK Mqhayi and artists Gerard Sekoto and JK Mohl, and his memories of notable personalities such as the writer Sol Plaatje and band leaders such as Peter Rezant and Wilson Silgee. George had attended a public address given by Plaatje in Port Elizabeth when he was 17 or 18 years old. George responded with candour to these questions in his inimitable, humorous way. You'll see what I mean when you read his letters! The letters have been in my possession all along and have not been used by any other researcher or in any publication. Sarah Hudleston refers to our association in her biography of Pemba, 'Against All Odds', on page 79. Pemba had also already formed an association with Andrew Reed, a research student from Rhodes University.... On Christmas Day 1983 he wrote (in his diary): 'Reed has a way of appearing out of the blue before striking up a friendship. I have worked with him for a few years now. We have made trips together as far as the Free State and Edendale (Pietermaritzburg) to paint portraits of people such as Mrs (Martha) Bokako of Thaba Nchu and Selby Msimang of Edendale'. A persistent theme in George's letters throughout the 1980s was his wish to record his life story. He asked me to consider writing his full biography but I had my hands full with my own university research work... but the project didn't get off the ground fully until he met Sarah Hudleston. Once I moved to Johannesburg I saw a lot less of George, much to my regret, and last visited him at his new home in Motherwell, outside Port Elizabeth, a few months before his death in 2001. By that time Pemba was very ill and had to be fed his meals. These unpublished and hitherto unknown letters provide an amazing commentary on Pemba's life. Reed has made a summary of the contents of letters where Pemba relates details of his meetings with interesting people. The letters would furnish useful material for any future research into Pemba's life. The following quote from Prof P A Duminy: George Milwa Mnyaluza Pemba is without doubt a great South African artist. What is perturbing, however, is that recognition of this man's talent has come so late in his life. There are cognoscenti who, from the very beginning of his career, acquired and appreciated his outstanding work, but it is only in the recent years of Pemba's life that full appreciation has come about. If South Africa had not been burdened by racial polarisation, Pemba would have undoubtedly escaped the designation of being a great black South African artist and, instead, would have enjoyed equal status with his white contemporaries. 'Pemba's beginnings as a painter occurred at a time and place not only highly unfavourable, but well nigh impossible, for a young black man to succeed as an artist. Against all odds, however, he kept the flame of his creative spirit burning for more than six decades. Sometimes the flame burnt low, but it was never extinguished. For Pemba, rural and township life has been his main source of inspiration. His work has that universal quality and timelessness that secured for his best work a place of pride in South African art. The balance and the harmonious arrangements of the elements in his compositions, together with the richness of his colours contribute to the gentleness, but at the same time to the vitality of his work. Honesty, integrity and sincerity are among the major characteristics of Pemba's work...' (Prof P A Duminy) with acknowledgements to Sarah Hudleston: 'Against All Odds' quoted from the dustjacket. (QTY) ILLUSTRATED par George Pemba

George Pemba (1912-2001)
À propos du lot n° 116
Pemba, George THE UNPUBLISHED LETTERS OF GEORGE PEMBA WRITTEN TO ANDREW REED 1979 TO 1998 Port Elizabeth: 1979-1998 A remarkable collection of 190 letters, filed in date order, in their original envelopes written by the well-known South African artist, George Pemba to his friend Andrew Reed, plus 2 others in facsimile. They are mostly one-page and two-page hand written letters. Through an initial interview with Pemba for Professor Tim Couzens of the University of the Witwatersrand, other visits followed and a friendship that would last for the next 20 years sprang up between Pemba and Reed. As Reed writes: We began corresponding by letter on everything under the sun, but being a journalist with an interest in history I tended to ask him lots of questions about his artistic career and his literary and art contemporaries, such as the writer SEK Mqhayi and artists Gerard Sekoto and JK Mohl, and his memories of notable personalities such as the writer Sol Plaatje and band leaders such as Peter Rezant and Wilson Silgee. George had attended a public address given by Plaatje in Port Elizabeth when he was 17 or 18 years old. George responded with candour to these questions in his inimitable, humorous way. You'll see what I mean when you read his letters! The letters have been in my possession all along and have not been used by any other researcher or in any publication. Sarah Hudleston refers to our association in her biography of Pemba, 'Against All Odds', on page 79. Pemba had also already formed an association with Andrew Reed, a research student from Rhodes University.... On Christmas Day 1983 he wrote (in his diary): 'Reed has a way of appearing out of the blue before striking up a friendship. I have worked with him for a few years now. We have made trips together as far as the Free State and Edendale (Pietermaritzburg) to paint portraits of people such as Mrs (Martha) Bokako of Thaba Nchu and Selby Msimang of Edendale'. A persistent theme in George's letters throughout the 1980s was his wish to record his life story. He asked me to consider writing his full biography but I had my hands full with my own university research work... but the project didn't get off the ground fully until he met Sarah Hudleston. Once I moved to Johannesburg I saw a lot less of George, much to my regret, and last visited him at his new home in Motherwell, outside Port Elizabeth, a few months before his death in 2001. By that time Pemba was very ill and had to be fed his meals. These unpublished and hitherto unknown letters provide an amazing commentary on Pemba's life. Reed has made a summary of the contents of letters where Pemba relates details of his meetings with interesting people. The letters would furnish useful material for any future research into Pemba's life. The following quote from Prof P A Duminy: George Milwa Mnyaluza Pemba is without doubt a great South African artist. What is perturbing, however, is that recognition of this man's talent has come so late in his life. There are cognoscenti who, from the very beginning of his career, acquired and appreciated his outstanding work, but it is only in the recent years of Pemba's life that full appreciation has come about. If South Africa had not been burdened by racial polarisation, Pemba would have undoubtedly escaped the designation of being a great black South African artist and, instead, would have enjoyed equal status with his white contemporaries. 'Pemba's beginnings as a painter occurred at a time and place not only highly unfavourable, but well nigh impossible, for a young black man to succeed as an artist. Against all odds, however, he kept the flame of his creative spirit burning for more than six decades. Sometimes the flame burnt low, but it was never extinguished. For Pemba, rural and township life has been his main source of inspiration. His work has that universal quality and timelessness that secured for his best work a place of pride in South African art. The balance and the harmonious arrangements of the elements in his compositions, together with the richness of his colours contribute to the gentleness, but at the same time to the vitality of his work. Honesty, integrity and sincerity are among the major characteristics of Pemba's work...' (Prof P A Duminy) with acknowledgements to Sarah Hudleston: 'Against All Odds' quoted from the dustjacket. (QTY) ILLUSTRATED ,1979 Prix: 3 914.82 USD 🔓Accès libre sans carte bancaire.
Estimations(basse-haute) : 30000 ZAR-40000.0 ZAR 🔓Accès libre sans carte bancaire.
Stephan Welz & Co, Salle de vente 🔓Accès libre sans carte bancaire.

Date de la vente : 16/08/2011 🔓Accès libre sans carte bancaire.
Référence de l'enchère : Live Sale