Alexis Preller
Born in pretoria
Trained in London and Paris- infl by :
Western Movements influences:
- exposure to the works of Gauguin that was done amidst a primitive culture in Tahiti. i.e.
“Remembrance of things past” 1943 and “Rima” 1952
exposure to the surrealist works of Dali i.e. “The Kraal” In this work one can also detect the influence of
Hieronymus Bosch
exposure to the works of Michaelangelo i.e. “Painting for 1958”
exposure to early Italian school in the works of Pierro della Francesca i.e.
“The Renaissance Pavillion”
AFRICAN INFLUENCES:
Egyptian art as seen in heiratic woman
Came back to SA where he began to explore indigenous imagery of Africa with the NEW GROUP of artists.african tribal rituals , mysticism and culture
Travelled throughout africa and South Africa- INVESTIGATING AFRICAN RITES
AFRICAN INFLUENCES continued
Visits to African States
Preller visited the Kongo and was intrigued by the tribal rituals and traditional carvings.
Returning to South Africa, he built a house near a Ndebele Settlement near
Hammanskraal. He acted solely as spectator to tribal customs, architecture and style
of dress and never interfaced with the Ndebele people. (Quite different in style to
Stern)
SUBJECT MATTER:
His works that included Ndebele contents were mostly presented as Surrealist works
Forms and images that are imaginitive distortions and exaggerations of African figures and
rituals . Imaginary races and mythography based or inspired by AFRICAN RITES AND CUSTOMS
•These works had no personal message as the works of Dali did – it was merely a
representation of the artist’s imagination.
Although his works clearly portrayed exposure to and knowledge of the Surrealist
movement, Preller was more interested creating an atmosphere in his work, than in
portraying a certain a psychological state of mind.
MODE: oil paintings of tribal life
STYLE: surrealistic
STYLISTIC CHARACTERISTICS: (Surreallist manifestations
of imaginations)
•complex compositions with inexplicable detail
•Symbols and images were juxta-posed in irrational space
and discrepancy (free association and chance)
•Architectural structures served as background
•Rich, intense colours
•Dream-like images are placed in a distinctively African
context
•Distorted and exaggerated forms and images
•Simplified , stylised forms
•Uses a symbolic language (eggs , shells and candles) carry
messages in his work
•Precise linear style of painting
•Hard edged finish
•Shapes/forms stylised into patterned areas- decorative
impressions
•Simplified shapes
•Elongated forms that are unreallistic- rejected realistic
proportion
•Colour – imaginitive not descriptive
•He captures the essence of the figure - It becomes a cult
figure existing on a metaphysical level beyond the earthly
domain.
GRAND MAPOGGO 1
Matriarchal figure of the Ndebele tribe, pictured as a
regal seated figure dressed in flowing robes that
link to traditional emblems of the associated tribe
Floating mealie- symbolic of sustenance and harvest
Symbolic of the close relationship between people and the
earth
Earthy Colour : browns , ochres and greys
Smooth linear painting style- Surreallistic
Hard edged
Unreallistic form – elongated and disproportionate figure
Her head is in the form of a pot like in cultural rituals.
Stylised and simplified adds to the drama of the African
Mystique
Amulets , leg bands , necklaces etc... Are in close keeping
with Ndebele culture (SHOWS AN UNDERSTANDING OF
BOTH RITUAL AND CULTURE)
Blanket worn by the woman is typical dress of the Ndebele
tribe
It is an imagined form more than a reallistic representation
– imagery is rooted in tribal myths fertility and
motherhood
Grand Mapoggo 1 , 1957 , oils
GRAND MAPOGGO 1, oils, 1957
He used the Ndebele compound and its
architecture extensively, especially as 2dimensional backgrounds to surround the figures
with. Seated in area suggestive of an open sky
Typical ornamentation adorns heads, neck, hands
(beads and bangles)
Focus is on the meaning and figure:
Symbolic distortion of figure stylised / elongated
The symbolic identity of the figure is more NB than
the reallistic identity.
Fertility and motherhood- like a madonna
Technique: Hard edged painting using thin paint
and a smooth techniqueSmooth linear painting
style 15th century Renaissance
No conspicuous brushstrokes
Graded local colour in clothing browns , ochres ,
greens (symbols of reliance on the earth for
sustenance
Traditional dress – blanket –like cape worn by
women in this tribe
Matriarchal figure of the ndebele tribe
Regal seated and dressed in flowing robes
AGAIN A SURREALLIST MANIFESTATION OF
HIS IMAGINATION ROOTED IN AFRICAN
MYTHOGRAPHY creates an African Mystique
in his work
“THE KRAAL”,1948, oils,
Subject matter: Ndebele
homestead and its community
life rendered in an idyllic
dreamlike state- Heironymous
Bosch
A crowded setting with
distorted / ambiguous
perspective- enhances unreality
creates a dreamlike quality
Adds his own symbols to his
experiences( eggs, candles,
shells)
Humans and objects have equal
significance
Renaissance type landscape
setting
Its importance lies in the fact that this artist was able to
bring about a change in focus onto African aspects in SA
art. Its not a sentimentalised approach but shows insight
into African culture and rituals
Heironymous Bosch
influenced Preller’s work
Influence : Egyptian art
Rooted in African myths – matriarchs
powerful and symbolic
Figures are stylised and cubistic
(Picassos’s musicians) in their
simplification but africanised
Patterns created through shape
Elongated form
No accurate anatomical details
Unreallistic - only can exist in artists
imagination through free association
and chance
Heiratic Women, 1955 ,oils
Colour is imaginitive rather than
descriptive
Essence of figures is captured on a
metaphysical plane
Shells in heiratic women become
simplified and transformed
Omnipotent light fills the scene and adds to the
mystique
An illusionary space is created for the figures
Mysterious elements of culture and ritual found in
archaic culture- fetishes and rituals fascinate Preller
in this work
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