South African Art Times March 09

THE SOUTH AFRICAN

March 2009 • 7 000 copies printed and distributed. Full version also available at www.arttimes.co.za • RSA value R 40.00

ART

TIMES

ACG: AVANT CAR GUARD waiting for Mandela to die and the nu-rave party experience to hit Johannesburg.

Image courtesy the Artists and Whatiftheworld / Gallery.

Avant Car Guard with be exhibiting:

Volume III

at Whatiftheworld / Gallery 26 March - 25 April 09

Risky Parking: Avant Car Guard’s new show at Whatiftheworld / Gallery

Irma Stern STILL LIFE WITH FRUIT AND DAHLIAS

SOLD

1999

R

1 100 000

Irma Stern THE INDIAN WOMAN

SOLD

2007

R

7 260 000

IRMA STERN (

1894-1966

)

SOUTH AFRICA’S GRANDE DAME

Stephan Welz and Company, in association with Sotheby’s, has a proven reputation as South Africa’sPremier Auction House. Established in 1968, we have consistently improved upon our own history andsales records.Record results for South African Masters like Irma Stern have been the milestones by which we judgeour success, just as Stern used her paintings from which to gain strength.

SOLD IN

1999

SOLD IN

2007Cape TownUpcoming Sale

26 & 27

May

2009

Closing date for entries: Friday

13

March

2009

Call now for an appointment:

021 794 6461

Venue:The Great Cellar, Alphen Hotel,Alphen Hotel, Constantia

JohannesburgUpcoming Sale

20 & 21

April

2009

Viewing:

17-19

April

2009

Call for further details:

011 880 3125

Venue:

13

Biermann AvenueRosebank

Visit our website www.swelco.co.za

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Artists’ Acrylic Paint

Steve Kretzmanno give up a potentially lucrativecareer as an accountant in order o follow a more precarious pathof pottery is evidence not only of a passion for potting, but also of awillingness to defy convention insearch of a fuller life.It was a choice acclaimed cerami-cist Hyme Rabinowitz made in hishirties, subsequently leaving uswith innumerable beautiful andunctional clay vessels.And he certainly lived a life full of adventure and accomplishment.Born in 1920, twin to brother Sol– who later settled in Kenya - hewas nineteen years-old at theoutbreak of World War II. His age,and being Jewish, meant there waslittle moral choice but to interrupt

his articles and join the ght against

Hitler.Judging from the character thatemerges from his memoirs, Hymewould have undoubtably beendrawn to travel and an outdoor lifeof some sort, but three years inan anti-aircraft battalion trekkinghrough East and North Africa(whereafter he fell ill, serving therest of the war in the Saldahnaregion nearer home) likely whettedhis appetite to experience more of he world.He completed his articles after

he war, but ofce life was not his

preference, and, in a post-war dec-ade marked by conservatism, hehitchhiked across the UK, Europeand the Middle East – starting hisself-education in the arts along theway – and returned home overlandacross Africa 17 months later.It was while making a living workingat the Plate Glass Company that he“quite by chance” discovered his vo-cation. As often happens, there wasan attractive girl involved, who wasaking pottery lessons at the FrankJoubert art centre. Hyme joined in,

and was given his rst lessons by

Audrey Frank.“The penny had dropped,” wroteHyme. He had a continental stylekick-wheel built and took over acorner of Paul Boonzaier’s sign writ-ing workshop on Long Street.“Every Saturday afternoon after

he ofce I went and practiced my

hrowing in Paul’s workshop tillit was time to catch the last bus(around midnight) from the terminuso Camps Bay. Then I’d hike (withbackpack) to Llandudno, land upat (a rough hut in the bay), andhike the next day with “Ginger”(Townley) Johnson to Sandy Bayand Oudeschip.”His friendship with Ginger and alove of the outdoors led to the pair of them, with Percy Sieff, amongstothers, documenting over 500 rockart sites in the South-West Cape inthe ’50s and ‘60s, a book of whichwas later published. Around this period he returned tothe UK and spent time working atSt. Ives with Kenneth Quick, whoused to work at the famed LeachPottery. He also worked with the“explosive” master potter MichaelCardew. He spent more time withCardew in Abudja, Nigeria, whowas running a training centre there,and also spent six months workingwith Esias Bosch in White River.He set up what was to become hispermanent pottery studio at EaglesNest in Constantia in 1962 (thanksto the patronage of the Maggsfamily) originally working with a

Cardew-Wenford Bridge wood-red

kiln for many years before changing

to an oil-red kiln.

He did a lot more travelling though,much of it through Africa, studyingthe continent’s ancient potterytraditions, before marrying Jennifer Rom when he was 56. Although alate starter in pottery, according toLeach, Hyme’s dedication to thecraft resulted in his being awardeda National Silver Medal by PretoriaUniversity in 1990, a Master of Fine Arts Honorary degree fromthe University of Cape Town andthe ‘Master Potter’ title by the As-sociation of Potters of South Africa(APSA) on his 80th birthday.Yet his success never went to hishead.“He’s always been a great support-er of other potters. People at the top

of their eld are often snooty, but

he always had time, and a word of encouragement, for everyone, saysyoung potter John Bauer. Although Hyme suffered from illhealth again in his later years,having, according to Ceramics SACape region co-chair and “dear friend” Betsy Nield, “a few heartattacks in his time”, it appears hewas more concerned with the well-being of his friends than his owndiscomfort.Nield said he had his last heartattack a year ago, at around thesame time she had to undergo anoperation. She said whenever theyspoke he used to enquire after her health, never mentioning his ownproblems.She said Hyme was also veryactive in the pottery community. “Heused to come to all our (CeramicsSA) workshops and was always atour AGMs and exhibitions.He would be there, and at all thepotters markets. At the last one, inJune, Jenni had to push him aroundin his wheelchair.”

Hyme Rabinowitz’s passion for pottery

1920 - 2009

South African Art Times. March 2009 Page 3

Tributes at his funeral repeatedlymentioned his warmth, humour,creativity, purpose, and interest inother people. And he seemed tobe able to mix modesty and pridequite effectively. His son, Nikolas,said his dad’s response to beingfamous was:“Well, I was the best, and mostfamous potter… on Eagles Nest!”