The Ladder
136 Bree Street
Cape Town
First Thursdays
17:00 - 20:00
Monday - Friday
07:00 - 16:00
Saturday
08:00-14:30
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While Pierneef linocuts become available on the secondary market regularly, demand continues to outstrip the limited supply. With the introduction of internet bidding by the local auction houses, the prices of Pierneef’s iconic linocuts have sky-rocketed as they became accessible to the large South African expatriate community earning hard currency abroad. If you are a South African living in London, New York, etc. and want one artwork on your wall that reminds you of home, a Pierneef linocut will be pretty high on most wishlist.
This development in the market has made acquiring Pierneef linocuts unaffordable for most entry- to mid-level collectors. The record price for a Pierneef linocut was set at Strauss & Co’s 25 July 2023 auction at R438,995 (the previous record was on their 26 July 2021 auction at R432,440). The results for the originals have now spilled over into the market for much less rare, posthumous photolithographic reproductions, with the record price for one of these set just last month at R52,275!
The first aim of the project is to make Pierneef’s iconic linocut compositions accessible to a broader collector base by making them more affordable.
The second aim is to pay tribute to the very important if not critical role that Pierneef played in the establishment of the linocut technique as a respected and widely-embraced medium in the South African art environment.
· Over 70 preparatory sketches on our preferred sheet size (100 x 70cm) out of the over 150 Pierneef compositions currently earmarked for the project. The sketches are used to generate orders for the limited edition woodcut prints, but are also unique bona fide artworks in their own right and for sale.
· Completed woodcut prints and some of the carved woodblocks used for printing for the compositions for which we have already received and completed orders.
· A phenomenal diptych by Henk Serfontein commenting on revisionist art historians' attempts to cancel Pierneef posthumously (after Afrikaner Nationalists cancelled him during his lifetime).
· Original Bookplates by Pierneef for Die Nuwe Brandwag from 1929 – 1932 (all signed in the plate)
· A “Collectors Corner” to add a bit of colour and variation with works by Walter Battiss, Cecil Skotnes, Alexis Preller, Peter Clarke, Dumile Feni, Sydney Kumalo, Bill Ainslie, Tretchikoff etc.
"We also hope to unveil the composition for at least one, but hopefully both, of the black-and-white woodcut prints of the Cape Town themed Station Panel paintings at the vernissage event currently scheduled for 1 April.
Lastly, we are planning at least one exhibition walkabout and at least one Pierneef expert/ connoisseur’s talk or panel discussion during the exhibition.
Please see our Instagram page @homagetopierneef for all the completed preparatory sketches and prints as well as the reference images for the rest of the earmarked works. Order enquiries can be submitted via message to this page.
Please follow the page if you would like to receive future updates (completed prints and Station Panel compositions as well as future venues and dates of the touring exhibition) and/or send an Instagram message if you would like to receive our email newsletter."
The exhibition is on display from 6 March to 2 April 2025.
26a St Georges Mall (5pm - 8pm)
52 Waterkant Street (5pm - 8pm)
25 Church Street (5pm - 8.30pm)
16 Buiten Street (5pm - 8pm)
117 Long Street (5pm - 8pm)
66 Plein Street (5pm - 9pm)
90 Bree Street (5pm - 10pm)
14 Long Street (5pm - 8pm)
104 Longmarket Street (5pm - 8pm)
