Rare and/or out of print Southern African Tribal Art Books

 

Art and Ambiguity   Perspectives on the Brenthurst Collection of Southern African Art       Johannesburg Art Gallery     Art and Ambiguity   Perspectives on the Brenthurst Collection of Southern African Art   Harry Oppenheimer, of Anglo American and De Beers, purchased a collection of early collected Southern African tribal objects ex Jonathan Lowen, from an intermediary London dealer. Harry Oppenheimer leant the collection to the Johannesburg Art Gallery, where it became known as the Brenthurst Collection, after the Brenthurst Library, which houses the Africana collection of the Oppenheimer family in Johannesburg.   Under the care of the Johannesburg Art Gallery, the material sat around unseen for a number of years.  The JAG and in particular it's director, were informed by the Oppenheimer's, that the gallery would either have to exhibit the material and produce a catalogue, or face having it removed.   Under pressure, a catalogue was born, academics were crowned and a hint of change hit the local art world.   Art and Ambiguity started it all, at R50.00 a copy. ($17.50 then, $6.50 now.)   The exhibition brought indigenous  southern African art to the forefront of the South African art world, at a time the country was passing through critical moments of change. It awoke interest from South African public art collections, whose directors suddenly felt embarrassed, or even threatened. Around the country, provincial and city  budgets were created for the purpose of acquiring objects. As the market heated, dealers and collectors of African art in both the US and Europe took notice of what was happening at auction. Their interest added to the ongoing rush. In the course of a very few years, prices for important works skyrocketed. Southern African tribal art  no longer was left un-illustrated at the end of catalogue sales. The quest for things southern sparked life into the world of tribal art market overall, which continues unabated to this day.   THREE CHEERS FOR HARRY and one fabulous collection!   Preface by Christopher Till. Introduction by Es'kia Mphahlele. Includes the following essays: "Ambiguity, Style and Meaning" by Patricia Davison, "Looking from the Outside: the historical context of the Brenthurst Collection of Southern African Art" by Johan van Schalkwyk, "Tradition, Authenticity and Tourist Scuplture in 19th and 20th Century South Africa" by Anitra Nettleton, "Headrests: Tsonga types and variations" by Rayda Becker, "'Zulu' Headrests and Figurative Carvings: the Brenthurst Collection and the art of South-east Africa" by Sandra Klopper, "Southern African Beadwork: issues of classification and collecting" by Diane Levy and "Public Pleasures: smoking and snuff-taking in Southern Africa" by Ann Wanless.     Price: $850.00 plus postage.   (Each time a new price record is set for this book, the last seems to have been a real bargain.)                         Follow this link to view other Southern African tribal art books on offer.    *