R3,000 - R5,000
Anton Smit (South African 1954 - ): UNTITLED (WOMAN WITH HEAD ON KNEE)
inscribed with the artist's name and dated '80
plaster with wood base
height: 7,5cm
*Item location: Cape Town branch
South African sculptor Anton Smit’s work projects a raw and earth-like element, evoking inherently African themes. The ceramic sculpture of ‘Koki’ (Lot 421) signifies a character from the poem, titled ‘Raka’ by N.P. van Wyk Louw. In the poem, the character ‘Koki’ is represented by goodness and purity, while ‘Raka’ signifies the violent forces that threaten the existence of African culture. A related dualism of goodness and evil between ‘Koki’ and ‘Raka’ describe a constant universal battle between these two powerful forces.
Smit instills the illusion of movement in his sculptures, which is clearly depicted in ‘Untitled’ (Woman with Head on Knee) (Lot 272). In contrast to ‘Koki’, the plaster statuette of the curled-up body of the woman is captured in a moment of peaceful sleep, while also displaying a subtle vulnerability. – E.K.
Anton Smit: A Retrospective 1970 – 2014 (artist catalog)
Anton Smit, The Life and Times of a South African Sculptor, Accessed May 10 2021, https://www.antonsmit.co.za/about-anton-smit/
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