Internationally acclaimed but irrefutably South African: Strauss & Co’s marquee summer auction features important works by Billie Zangewa and William Kentridge
· Contemporary consignment led by early drawings and bronzes by William Kentridge
· High-value works by Billie Zangewa, Athi-Patra Ruga and Robert Hodgins
· Spotlight printmaking sale includes rare 1978 etching by William Kentridge
· Additional timed-online auction includes Tracey Rose and Walter Oltmann
JOHANNESBURG – Two internationally acclaimed artists, Billie Zangewa and William Kentridge, respectively born in Malawi and Johannesburg, form part of an influential grouping of contemporary African artists in Strauss & Co’s premier live-virtual Evening Sale on Tuesday, 7 November 2023. The catalogue for this marquee auction includes important bronzes and early drawings by William Kentridge, paintings by Deborah Bell, Marlene Dumas and Georgina Gratrix, as well as photographs by Athi-Patra Ruga and Mikhael Subotzky.
“Johannesburg artist Billie Zangewa has garnered international attention and representation with her compelling narrative tapestries made by layering fragments of raw silk,” Wilhelm van Rensburg, Senior Specialist and Chief Curator, Strauss & Co. “We are delighted to be presenting an early work by the artist from 2008. Business as Usual [estimate R900 000 – 1.2 million / $47 960 – 63 947] is dominated by a sumptuous ground of seductive pink silk and showcases why the artist has been invited to collaborate with luxury brands like Dior and Louis Vuitton. This striking work forms part of a top-quality consignment of works by William Kentridge, an artist with a global profile.”