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South African Abstraction,
From Then To Now

By Hamzeh Alfarahneh | First published November 14, 2024
This essay has been published to accompany Ex Situ: A snapshot of Contemporary South African Abstraction, a group exhibition curated by the author at Anthracite in Zurich, Switzerland.

The exhibition aims to invite the viewer to contemplate and gather impressions of contemporary South African non-figurative practices from a cross-section of artists at various stages in their careers. The title of the show implies art that is viewed outside of its origin, paralleling how abstraction, historically associated with Western art, is often seen through a European or American lens. It also speaks to the unique interpretation and expression of abstraction that South African artists bring, adapting it in ways that transform the genre beyond its Western roots. The exhibition itself, by curating diverse South African voices, becomes a context where these "out of place" voices reshape and assert and bring forth a narrative of abstraction that is uniquely South African.

The exhibition aspires to open doors to more comprehensive shows illustrating South Africa's rich and often tumultuous history with abstraction. Accompanying Ex Situ is this essay designed to provide context and background on South African abstraction, enhancing public understanding and weave a through line from then up to now.

Early Abstract Forms in Southern African Art

The Southern African region is no stranger to abstract forms; evidence of consciousness of abstract mark-making pre-dates European modernist trends, as illustrated by artefacts dating 73,000 years found in South Africa's Blombos Cave¹. In addition, African art forms such as beadwork, wirework and safety-pin cloths demonstrate a long-standing engagement with abstraction in the region, displaying a preoccupation with volume, form, pattern and design² that is rooted in abstraction.

The research conducted for Ex Situ reveals the intricate tapestry of South African abstraction, a history woven with complex interactions and influences that defy a simple, linear chronology. The exhibition showcases the work of artists who have navigated the fluid boundaries between figuration and abstraction, a dynamic that continues to shape contemporary South African art. Sam Nhlengethwa, Penny Siopis, Mawande Ka Zenzile, and Zander Blom, all featured in the exhibition, exemplify this oscillation between the two modes of expression. Ex Situ emerges as a response to the oversaturation of figurative African art in the European and Swiss art scenes, seeking to bridge the gap between these two artistic landscapes and foster meaningful dialogue on both commercial and institutional levels. By presenting a diverse array of abstract works, the exhibition aims to challenge preconceptions and expand the understanding of African art beyond the figurative, inviting viewers to engage with the richness and complexity of South African abstraction.

The 1950s: Experimentation, Resistance, and International Recognition

Non-figurative paintings and sculpture production gained ground in the 50s in South Africa. While artists were experimenting in abstract forms, the public largely rejected abstract art, finding it ugly, depressing and lacking in the storytelling elements they desired³. Critics and the public alike strongly preferred representational art, particularly landscapes, which was reflected in the popularity of artists like Vladimir Tretchikoff, Jacobus Hendrik Pierneef, and Hugo Naudé. Critics largely misunderstood the goals of artists exploring abstraction, often questioning their integrity. This lack of critical and intellectual engagement, especially compared to European and American art centres, delayed the recognition of innovative work in South Africa, where abstract artists struggled without vocal advocates to champion their vision.

Despite lingering resistance in post-war South Africa, the art market of the 50s quickly embraced abstraction. A Sunday Times article from 1948 revealed that while South African landscapes were highly sought after, abstract or cubist works garnered little to no interest, with Johannesburg art dealers noting that Picasso's more experimental pieces were outright rejected. However, the tide began to turn in the mid 50s, as a series of international exhibitions, particularly those showcasing French art, exposed South African audiences to abstract works, challenging preconceived notions and opening up "a whole new world of experience and enjoyment" for some. This shift was further propelled by South Africa's participation in international biennales, most significantly the 5th São Paulo Biennial of 1959, which marked a milestone as the first international exhibition to exclusively feature abstract works by South African artists. This solidified South Africa's presence on the global stage and signaled a growing acceptance of abstraction within the country's art scene.

The scarcity of visual records documenting South Africa's participation in the 5th São Paulo Biennial has necessitated a reliance on written accounts to reconstruct the exhibition's impact. Aline B. Saarinen's report for The New York Times⁴ offers a glimpse into the event, albeit a controversial one. Saarinen infamously suggested that 90% of the works should be destroyed, without providing a clear justification for his scathing critique. Despite this, Saarinen's article highlighted the pervasive presence of abstraction in its various manifestations, noting, "There are abstractions of a free, explosive sort, abstractions composed of rigidly geometric shapes, abstractions with thick swirls of pigment and those with thin washes, abstractions with low-relief-like textures, and those with sleek, slick finishes." Although South Africa was not specifically mentioned, Saarinen's observations touched upon the universality of the globalized art world, where only truly exceptional works transcend national boundaries and capture international attention.

A more illuminating perspective came from The Cape Times⁵, which reported on the exhibition's return to Cape Town a year later. The show marked a shift in public opinion towards abstraction, and internationally, the South African exhibition was well-received. Notably, Edoardo Villa won a bronze medal for his six sculptures. It's worth noting that the South African delegation featured two women, Bettie Cilliers-Barnard and May Hillhouse, but no Black artists.

In the aftermath of World War II, white South African artists producing abstract art began blending European and African ideas in ways that extended beyond the modernist fixation on the so-called "primitive." Their sources of inspiration often drew from African sculptural forms and romanticised notions of "tribal art," creating a unique fusion of cultural aesthetics. This shift mirrored global artistic movements, particularly in Europe and Japan, where abstraction emerged as a response to the devastation of war. The political and social upheavals of the mid-20th century further fuelled these abstract expressions, making this conversation especially relevant within the South African context.

Apartheid Era: Black Abstract Artists

Apartheid significantly restricted Black artists' opportunities. Similarly to their white counterparts, Black artists engaged with abstract art and were as intertwined with international trends — which a small contingency gained exposure to through their studies and subsequent living overseas — and the influence of African artistic traditions. However, they faced limited access to education and exhibition spaces at home, and were indirectly influenced to produce certain types of art. The prevailing expectation, a form of "cultural apartheid," was that Black artists should create "ethnic" or "political" and certainly figurative works. This expectation limited their freedom to explore abstraction.

From the Black artists who practised in exile, most notably Ernest Mancoba who is recognised as a pioneering figure in South African and African modern art, particularly for his contributions to abstract art. Mancoba's practice was driven by a profound search for universality; he believed that art had the power to transcend cultural boundaries and contribute to greater consciousness and human liberation. His work was characterised by a reduction of forms to their purest essence, often inspired by West African Kota⁶ reliquary figures.

Mancoba practised primarily in Europe, where he encountered a different set of challenges and opportunities. He moved to Paris in 1938, where he found himself amid a vibrant community of African intellectuals, yet one often burdened by Western stereotypes and expectations. He and his wife Sonja Ferlov settled in Denmark after being interned by the Nazis during World War II⁷. There, he became a member of the CoBrA group, a collective of avant-garde abstract artists from Copenhagen, Brussels and Amsterdam. While his involvement with CoBrA is not well-documented, his participation underscores his engagement with prominent European art movements of the time.

That said, what distinguished Mancoba's approach to abstraction was his challenging of notions that African artists should conform to Western aesthetics and stylistic conventions. He rejected the idea that African art should be confined to representations of "primitive" or "savage" themes, instead asserting the capacity for African artists to contribute original ideas to the discourse of modernism.

We can argue that Mancoba's artistic innovations may have foreseen later developments in European abstract art. His use of techniques like blobs and drips of paint, spontaneous brushstrokes and calligraphic scribbles, which appeared in his work as early as 1939, predated the widespread adoption of these methods which became synonymous with Abstract Expressionism and Tachisme. While it is hard to pinpoint one practitioner's relationship, it does highlight Mancoba's role as a contributor to the evolution of abstract art.

On South African ground, the Polly Street Center in Johannesburg provided Black artists with opportunities for training, exhibition, and artistic dialogue that were largely unavailable to them under the apartheid regime. The centre became a significant art hub with the appointment of Cecil Skotnes as the Cultural Recreation Officer in 1952⁸. It was under his guidance that the centre gained recognition during the 50s and 60s as an art centre and became a crucial training ground for Sydney Kumalo, Ezrom Legae, Ephraim Ngatane, and Durant Sihlali. The Polly Street Center and Skotnes need to be credited for the emergence of the neo-African style which synthesised elements of Western and African traditions; this practice is still prevalent today.

Black South African artists have long been subjected to narrow expectations, pressured to create figurative works that fit into limiting categories such as "ethnic" or "political" art. However, the Polly Street Art Centre provided a space for these artists to break free from imposed constraints, encouraging play, experimentation and exploration across various styles. This initiative stands as a testament to the resilience and innovation of Black artists, who consistently pushed boundaries and engaged with abstraction in profound ways, despite the limitations placed upon them by societal norms and systemic oppression.

The 1960s and 1970s: Shifting Public Opinion and Institutional Support

Egon Guenther, a German immigrant to South Africa, also played a key role in propagating and platforming South African abstraction through his role as an art dealer and collector of African art. In 1963, he presented exhibitions of the Amadlozi group in both Johannesburg and Italy. The group consisted of Giuseppe Cattaneo, Sydney Kumalo, Cecily Sash, Cecil Skotnes and Edoardo Villa.

South African public opinion on abstraction started to shift, due to the role of national exhibitions such as the Quadrennial and Quinquennial, which began to include more abstract works. As noted by Matthys Bokhorst about the 1960 Quadrennial exhibition, "the balance has definitely swung in favour of abstraction and non-figurative painting"⁹. That said, abstraction during this period was skewed towards representational images. Another contributor to the rise in appeal was the emergence of avant-garde galleries, like the Goodman Gallery, which actively promoted abstract art and helped in building a collector base that began to appreciate abstraction. Despite these shifts, abstract art continued to face challenges.

By the late 70s, political and social concerns dominated the South African art discourse. The rise of protest and resistance art, often figurative, overshadowed abstract forms in the public's eye. Moreover, abstraction was seen by some as a cop-out and a form of American cultural imperialism¹⁰.

The 1980s and Early 1990s: Figurative Art and the Cultural Boycott

The trend of figurative and conceptual art made in response to the tragic narratives of apartheid continued to dominate in the 80s. Additionally, the international UN-sanctioned cultural boycott imposed on South Africa in 1980 further isolated the country's art ecology from the rest of the world, which reduced exposure to international abstraction and decreased opportunities for South African artists to exhibit their work abroad. With minimal public interest and institutional backing, abstract art remained on the margins of South African artistic expression throughout the 80s and early 90s.

Despite these challenges, the 80s and 90s also witnessed a budding movement which aimed to revive and re-engage with abstract art. Two institutions were most notably involved in this: The Johannesburg Art Foundation, under the guidance of Bill Ainslie, played a crucial role in fostering experimentation and freedom of expression among young Black artists, using abstraction as a starting point¹¹. The second was the Thupelo Workshops, initiated in 1985, which provided a platform for artists, primarily Black artists, to explore their creativity in an uninhibited way.

These workshops often resulted in the production of abstract works, challenging the expectations placed on Black artists and stimulating discourse about the role of abstraction in the context of the struggle. The impact of these workshops is evident in the work of Sam Nhlengethwa, whose geometric abstract works shown in the exhibition are a result of experimentation and play that dates back to the 80s.

The unbanning of liberation movements and the release of political prisoners, which began the dismantling of apartheid in the early 90s, and the lifting of the cultural boycott led to a renewed interest in abstract art in the country. South African artists were eager to reconnect with international trends and participate in global exhibitions, including biennales in Venice, São Paulo, Havana, and Dakar, from which South Africa had been excluded since the late 60s¹².

Post-Apartheid: Renewed Interest and Historical Engagement

Post-apartheid South Africa witnessed an engagement with abstraction's history. Artists like Barend de Wet and Sandile Zulu engaged with the legacy of Christo Coetzee, a pioneering South African abstract artist whose work was influenced by the radical postwar Gutai Group in Japan. Their experimentation with techniques like puncturing and scorching canvases reflected a continuity with historical practices while adding new layers of meaning and expression¹³.

The Johannesburg Biennales of 1995 and 1997 marked an important moment in South African art history, exposing local artists and audiences to a diverse spectrum of international contemporary practices. These landmark events fostered vital connections between South African artists and their counterparts from across Africa and its diaspora, catalyzing new approaches to abstraction. The biennales sparked crucial debates that challenged established artistic paradigms, encouraging South African artists to push beyond traditional boundaries between representation and abstraction, and ultimately expanding the possibilities for addressing complex themes through non-figurative art.

Contemporary South African Abstraction

While earlier critiques of abstract art in South Africa often focused on its formal qualities and lack of representation, practising abstract artists from the republic embrace a broader range of conceptual and thematic foundations. Ex Situ is composed of three thematics: extractionism, a term developed for the exhibition, connects contemporary abstraction to natural and urban environments; this forms the core of the exhibition with works by Bronwyn Katz, Mawande Ka Zenzile, Inga Somdyala and Bella Knemeyer.

Expressionism is highlighted through works by Penny Siopis and Zander Blom, and geometric abstraction focuses on works by Sam Nhlengethwa and showcases experimentations from Zander's studio in geometric expressionism, and overlaps between extractionism and geometric abstraction by Inga Somdyala.

The work of Unathi Mkonto stands out for its unique ability to encompass all three themes of the exhibition. As part of FEATURED, an initiative showcasing emerging practices, Mkonto presents his expressive field lines, still lifes in space, and water as structures, demonstrating a remarkable versatility and depth in his approach to abstraction.

In the first gallery, two generations of South African practitioners are represented for their experimentations in abstract expressionism. With a long-standing exploration of formlessness, Penny Siopis pushes the boundaries of traditional painting, prioritising process over predetermined outcomes. Using cold glue and ink, as per the four canvases on display in the exhibition, exemplifies this approach, as she allows the material to interact and 'perform' on the horizontal canvas, embracing chance and unpredictability.

It should be emphasized that Siopis sees the use of glue not simply as a medium, but as a vibrant, self-forming entity with its own agency. The works invite the viewer to reconsider their understanding of beyond her glue-and-ink paintings. She recognises the "essential, slippery shapelessness" of painting, a concept she has explored for over three decades. Her earliest Cake Paintings series (1980-1984), with their layered abundance, and the Pinky Pinky series (2002-2007), which materialises an urban legend through abstract forms, demonstrate her fascination with material excess, viscerality, and blurring the distinctions between figure and ground. Siopis acknowledges the influence of Georges Bataille's concept of l'informe, which speaks of "destroying categories and knocking art off its metaphorical pedestal."

Juxtaposed with Siopis' vibrant canvases are the monochromatic works by Zander Blom, whose artistic practice is characterised by his explorations of abstract forms, often rendered in a highly textured and visceral style.His departure into black and white monochromatic painting, marked a significant shift in his practice. After working with vibrant colours, Blom felt a need to step back and focus on the fundamental elements of his artistic language, focusing on form and composition. Blom describes his monochrome works as "incredibly violent paintings," filled with forms that seem to "swirl off the canvas" and possess a baleful energy¹⁴. The absence of colour accentuates the sense of rawness and intensity, combined with scale, allows the viewer to experience the pure, unadulterated form in all its force.

While the shift to monochrome was intended to refine Blom's technique, he discovered that it opened up new possibilities for explorations. The limited palette allowed him to focus on subtle variations in tone, texture and mark-making, creating dynamic compositions within a restricted framework, fashioning new and different tools and techniques incorporating elements of action painting. Thus allowing him the space for repetition and subtle refinements. Despite the constraints of working in monochrome, Blom continues to find excitement in the unpredictable nature of his process. He describes starting a painting with a sense of openness, allowing the materials and his intuition to guide the outcome.art-making and the inherent limitations of traditional artistic conventions¹⁵.

Blom's early forays into monochrome were partly due to financial constraints and a fascination with minimalism¹⁶, working with ink on paper and later exploring photography, often saturating his images. These early experiments laid the groundwork for his current works. His interest in modernism and abstraction was partly a reaction to current South African trends which are centred around representational works, often emphasising figuration and political themes. He saw monochrome as a way to "escape the dominant narratives" and create a space for explorations of form¹⁷.

Artists of the born free generation, who grew up in post-apartheid South Africa, inherently gravitate towards the natural and built environments as a means to untangle the elaborate concepts of representation within a post-colonial framework. The second gallery explores extractionism as a discipline of abstraction, a prime example of this is Bronwyn Katz's ǂxon||xūb |'amiros (sweet thorn star) (2022), salvaged manufactured materials, such as mattresses, steel wool, and wire, is employed to create powerful sculptural pieces that resonate with the complex history of South Africa.

By repurposing these everyday objects, Katz delves into the physical, emotional, and spiritual narratives embedded within them, weaving together memories and language that are inextricably linked to the land and its culture. Their use of found objects, particularly those from the intimate domestic space of the bed—a site often associated with conception, birth, and death—adds a layer of depth and significance to the work. This deliberate choice of materials serves as a poignant reminder of the personal and collective experiences that shape South African identity, inviting viewers to contemplate the ways in which our surroundings and possessions carry the weight of our histories and stories. Through their ongoing exploration of the domestic realm, Katz maps the contours of memory and meaning, creating a powerful commentary on the relationship between the individual, the home, and the larger socio-cultural landscape of South Africa.

Mawande Ka Zenzile's practice exemplifies the blending of traditional African techniques and contemporary abstraction. By using materials such as mud bricks, sticks and cow dung, rooted in Xhosa traditions and Africanist epistemes, he argues that his work constitutes a form of 'epistemic disobedience' — a resistance against dominant Western paradigms of knowledge and artistic practice. Another important concept in Ka Zenzile's practice is the "beauty in seeing" which extends beyond mere aesthetics, delving into the profound connection between materials, heritage, and cultural identity. By incorporating elements such as cow dung and soil into his art, Ka Zenzile not only challenges conventional notions of beauty but also forges a deep, tangible link to his Eastern Cape roots.

Inga Somdyala's Lingua Franca (2023), a nine-part sail installation, explores the concept of 'contact' between cultures, aligning with the exhibition's overarching theme. Somdyala, like Ka Zenzile and Katz, uses his personal experiences to shed light on broader Southern African narratives. His use of 'home soil', clay, natural oxides, and ochres highlights the connection between cultural identity, ancestral lineage, and the land¹⁸.

Somdyala's incorporation of flags, particularly the 'Vierkleur' in Chronicle of a Death Foretold VI (2023), directly confronts South Africa's colonial past and the violence, exclusion, and oppression faced by Black South Africans. By engaging with these charged symbols and materials, Somdyala creates works that reflect his personal journey and speak to the collective experiences of Black South Africans, reclaiming and recontextualizing these histories.

Exploring how art-making can document transitional structures and landscapes through alternative archives lies at the heart of Bella Knemeyer's practice. With a sharp focus on imbued materials and their role in spatial organization, Knemeyer delves into the complex processes by which places are constructed, deconstructed, mended, and transformed. Her work investigates the intimate relationship between materials, memory, and the built environment, shedding light on the ways in which our surroundings are shaped by the passage of time and the accrual of meaning.

261-344 Victoria Road, Salt River / 5 and 6 (2024), a series of works inspired by the built environment, originated from Knemeyer's fascination with the paper covering the windows of buildings in transition and the evolving streetscapes they belong to. Using mulched paper and gauze, she creates delicate architectural impressions of the building, capturing its interstitial spaces, appropriations, indents, insertions, and repairs, as well as the unavoidable brokenness and irreparability that come with change. These works are part of a larger series that engages directly with the architectural details of lost or soon-to-be-lost buildings, exploring the tension between memory and forgetting¹⁹.

The specific focus of this work is the Rex Trueform clothing factory, an abandoned site in Cape Town that embodies the complex history of social division in South Africa. The factory's story is interwoven with the entangled policy matrix of the Group Areas Act, international sanctions, and post-apartheid trade agreements, as well as the politics of heritage classification and the related strategies of preservation and neglect. Knemeyer's work grapples with the stasis of buildings that are too difficult to maintain or commemorate, yet too significant to forget, encapsulating these multifaceted narratives in a single, poignant glance.

While best known for his depictions of South African life, Sam Nhlengethwa presents never-before-seen works where he explores geometric abstraction. That said, Nhlengethwa's engagement with abstraction is not a new development in his career; his foray into color and non-figurative forms during the 1980s can likely be attributed to his participation in the Thupelo workshops, organized by Bill Ainslie and David Koloane to inspire and nurture young black artists. These workshops, while controversial for their promotion of a Jackson Pollock-esque style of abstract art, played a crucial role in providing artists with a platform to experiment, express themselves, and respond to the emotional and political climate of the time. Nhlengethwa’s works from this period demonstrate a natural and intuitive sense of the formal elements of colour and composition, suggesting an early inclination towards abstraction. Triangles are positioned as a central motif in exhibited works that are primarily rendered in bold colours against a square canvas.

Unathi Mkonto, whose works are featured in the third gallery, employs abstraction as a means to navigate the complex interplay between spatial dynamics, materiality, and personal experiences, all while engaging with the broader context of South African society. Space forms a central concern in Mkonto's practice. His vibrant colour palettes, incorporating shapes and forms inspired by industrialised environments and urban landscapes, such as power lines, dams and fields, seek to "humanise this historical apartheid-inspired built environment" through his practice, suggesting a desire to use abstraction to address and reimagine South Africa's legacy of segregation and inequity. The works on paper that are presented in the show are studies for Mkonto's sculptural practice where he uses materials like plywood, bending and clamping it to create curves and other shapes, which is rooted in an experimental approach to form and construction.

The decolonial potential of abstraction emerges as a powerful undercurrent throughout Ex Situ, where artists employ non-figurative expression not merely as an aesthetic choice but as a means of challenging Western artistic hegemony. Ka Zenzile's concept of 'epistemic disobedience' provides a theoretical framework for understanding how abstraction can serve as a tool for decolonial practice, particularly when paired with indigenous materials and methodologies.

This approach is echoed in distinct ways across the exhibition: Katz's transformation of discarded mattresses and Somdyala's use of home soil reframe materiality through a decolonial lens, while Mkonto and Knemeyer's architectural abstractions confront the spatial legacy of colonialism. Even the more formally oriented works, such as Blom's monochromatic paintings and Siopis' process-based pieces, participate in this decolonial discourse by asserting the validity of South African abstract expression outside the constraints of Western expectations. Together, these diverse approaches demonstrate how abstraction can simultaneously challenge colonial artistic hierarchies while affirming local knowledge systems and ways of seeing.

On a closer look, a potent relationship between materiality and memory emerges within some of the practitioners that mirror artistic practices from the Global Majority, where artists harness specific materials as vessels of collective remembrance. Knemeyer's capture not just architectural details but the layered histories of labor, displacement, and economic transition embedded in South Africa’s industrial landscape. This archaeological approach to memory finds resonance in Katz's work, where the intimate domestic object becomes a repository of personal and communal histories.Similarly, Somdyala's incorporation of 'home soil' and Ka Zenzile's use of cow dung speak to ancestral knowledge and cultural continuity, their materials carrying the weight of generational memory and traditional practices. Through these material choices, the artists transform abstraction into a medium for preserving and interrogating collective memory, their works serving as tactile archives of South African experience.

While the artists in this exhibition approach abstraction from different perspectives and with varying intentions, they are united by a shared commitment to using abstract form as a means of expressing ideas, engaging with sociopolitical realities, and contributing to the ongoing dialogue around the role and meaning of abstraction in contemporary South African art. For some, like Mawande Ka Zenzile, Inga Somdyala, and Bronwyn Katz, this intentionality manifests in the use of abstraction to reclaim cultural traditions and challenge dominant narratives, while for others, like Penny Siopis, Sam Nhlengethwa, and Zander Blom, it takes the form of formal experimentation and the exploration of materiality, process, and meaning.

Artists like Bella Knemeyer and Unathi Mkonto, meanwhile, can be seen as bridging the gap between these different approaches. Knemeyer's work engages with the sociopolitical realities of South Africa through the lens of urban change and transformation, while Mkonto uses abstraction to explore spatial dynamics, materiality, and personal experiences within the broader context of South African society. Their practices demonstrate the versatility and adaptability of abstraction as a means of engaging with a wide range of concerns and ideas, from the formal and experimental to the sociopolitical and cultural.

The history of abstraction in South Africa tells a complex story of resistance, adaptation, and cultural synthesis. From the ancient abstract marks found in Blombos Cave to the sophisticated geometric patterns in traditional beadwork and wire art, South African artists have long engaged with non-figurative forms. During the apartheid era, this engagement became more politically charged, with pioneers like Ernest Mancoba challenging Western artistic conventions while contributing to the global discourse on modernism, and institutions like the Polly Street Center fostering a unique synthesis of African and Western traditions despite systemic oppression.

The trajectory of South African abstraction was significantly shaped by the country's sociopolitical climate, particularly during the cultural boycott of the 80s. While this isolation limited exposure to international trends, it also sparked innovative local responses, such as the Thupelo Workshops, which provided crucial spaces for experimentation and artistic freedom, especially for Black artists who faced restrictive expectations to produce only "ethnic" or political figurative work. The end of apartheid and the lifting of the cultural boycott marked a pivotal moment, allowing South African artists to reconnect with global artistic dialogues while maintaining their distinct artistic voices.

Contemporary South African abstraction, as exemplified in Ex Situ, demonstrates how today's practitioners are both honoring their artistic heritage and pushing the boundaries of the medium. Artists like Mawande Ka Zenzile and Bronwyn Katz engage with traditional materials and techniques while addressing contemporary concerns, creating what the exhibition terms "extractionism." Meanwhile, practitioners such as Penny Siopis and Zander Blom continue to explore the formal possibilities of abstract expressionism, while Sam Nhlengethwa's geometric works show the enduring influence of the Thupelo Workshops. The younger generation, represented by artists like Unathi Mkonto and Bella Knemeyer, seamlessly integrates local contexts with global artistic trends, creating work that responds to both South Africa's specific history and the broader international discourse on abstraction. This dynamic interplay between past and present, local and global, traditional and contemporary, positions South African abstraction as a vital force in contemporary art.

1. Christopher S. Henshilwood et al., “An Abstract Drawing from the 73,000-Year-Old Levels at Blombos Cave, South Africa,” Nature News, September 12, 2018, https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-018-0514-3
2. Sandra Klopper et al., The Art of Southeast Africa: From the Conru Collection (Milan: 5 Continents, 2002)3. Michael Stevenson and Annabel Rosholt, Moving in Time and Space: Shifts between Abstraction and Representation in Post-War South African Art (Cape Town: Michael Stevenson Contemporary, 2003)
4. Aline B Saarinen, “SAO PAULO REPORT; Biennial’s Four Miles of Exhibits Mostly Bad, Occasionally Good,” New York Times, September 27, 1959, sec. X.
5. Cape Times, June 27, 1960
6. Mancoba, Ernest Drawings And Paintings From The Studio Stevenson. (Jan,2024.). http://archive.stevenson.info/publications/mancoba/studio.html
7. Deviant practice - ernestmancoba.org. (n.d.). http://ernestmancoba.org/wp-content/uploads/4788VAM_Deviant_Practice_def_LR_spreads.pdf
8. Jack Grosser ! Undertook an enormous amount of pioneering work in Natal in the field of black art education from the 1940s onwards. He was, however, working primarily in the field of teacher training.
9. Michael Stevenson and Annabel Rosholt, Moving in Time and Space: Shifts between Abstraction and Representation in Post-War South African Art (Cape Town: Michael Stevenson Contemporary, 2003)
10. Michael Stevenson and Annabel Rosholt, Moving in Time and Space: Shifts between Abstraction and Representation in Post-War South African Art (Cape Town: Michael Stevenson Contemporary, 2003)
11. Back to the Future: Abstract Art in South Africa Past and Present,SMAC Gallery, accessed October 17, 2024, https://www.smacgallery.com/exhibitions-archive-3/back-to-the-future%3A-abstract-art-in-south-africa-past-and-present.
12. Eliza Garnsey, “From Banned to Embraced (Chapter 7) - the Justice of Visual Art,” Cambridge Core, accessed October 17, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108637701.007.
13. Back to the Future: Abstract Art in South Africa Past and Present,” SMAC Gallery, accessed October 21, 2024, https://www.smacgallery.com/exhibitions-archive-3/back-to-the-future%3A-abstract-art-in-south-africa-past-and-present.
14. Stevenson, “Africa and Abstraction: Johannesburg,” Issuu, November 28, 2012, https://issuu.com/stevensonctandjhb/docs/a_a_2_issuu?e=9663888%2F5381734.
15. Penelope Siopis et al., Material Acts (Cape Town: Stevenson, 2018).
16. Zander Blom: Monochrome Paintings II,” issuu, accessed October 30, 2024, https://issuu.com/stevensonctandjhb/docs/blom_monochrome_ii_book_issuu_version?fr=xPf81NTU.
17. Zander Blom: Monochrome Paintings II,” issuu, accessed October 30, 2024, https://issuu.com/stevensonctandjhb/docs/blom_monochrome_ii_book_issuu_version?fr=xPf81NTU.
18. Inga Somdyala: As Far as the Sea, RESERVOIR, accessed October 30, 2024, https://www.reservoirprojects.com/inga-somdyala-as-far-as-the-sea.
19. Roma Sendyka, “Sites That Haunt,” East European Politics and Societies: And Cultures 30, no. 4 (August 20, 2016): 687–702, https://doi.org/10.1177/0888325416658950.

Fig (1) : Stone flake marked with ochre, discovered in Blombos Cave in South Africa. Photograph by Craig Foster

Fig (2) : Project S-1125, V Biennial Exhibit, Fifth Biennial, Sao Paulo, Brazil (1959). © 2018 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn

Fig (3.1) : Installation View, V Bienal de São Paulo, 1959 Digital image courtesy of Athayde de Barros, Fundaçao Bienal de São Paulo, Arquivo Histórico Wanda Svevo

Fig (3.2) : Installation View, V Bienal de São Paulo, 1959 Digital image courtesy of Athayde de Barros, Fundaçao Bienal de São Paulo, Arquivo Histórico Wanda Svevo

Fig (4) : Untitled (c. 1960-65), Ernest Mancoba. Courtesy of Estate Mancoba Ferlov

Fig (5.1) : Reliquary Standing Male Figure (19th century) Gabon or Republic of Congo Kota peoples Mbete group. The Pierre and Maria-Gaetana Matisse Collection, 2002

Fig (5.2) : Untitled (1958-1666) Ernest Mancoba. Courtesy of Estate Mancoba Ferlov

Fig (6) : An example of the neo-African style which synthesised elements of Western and African traditions, championed by Polly Street Centre artists. Rhini Wall 1 (1995) Durant Sihlali. Courtesy of succession Durant Sihlali DALRO

Fig (7) : Traverse (1957) Edoardo Villa. Courtesy of artist's estate

Fig (8) : Triangles in Square (2024) Sam Nhlengethwa. Courtesy of artist and Goodman Gallery

Fig (9) : Object Made to Look like Art (VI) (2012) Barend de Wet. Courtesy of artist estate

Fig (10) : Camouflage 7 (from The Camouflage Series), (1998) Sandile Zulu. Courtesy of artist

Fig (11) : Temporal Distance (With a Criminal Intent) You Will Find Us in the Best Places (1997) Moshekwa Langa at the Second Johannesburg Biennale. Photo courtesy of Werner Maschmann, and work courtesy of artist

Fig (12) : Terezin Painting Josef, (1991), Vivienne Koorland at the second Johannesburg Biennale. Photo courtesy of Werner Maschmann, and work courtesy of artist

Fig (13) : Untitled (2022),Zander Blom. Courtesy of artist and Stevenson

Fig (14) : Viscose World ‘Deep undertow goes red: In love with indigo’ (2022) Penny Siopis. Courtesy of artist and Stevenson

Fig (15) : ǂxon||xūb |ʼamiros (sweet thorn star) (2022) Bronwyn Katz. Courtesy of Bronwyn Katz

Fig (16) : Emaweni (2023) Mawande Ka Zenzile. Courtesy of artist and Stevenson

Fig (17) : Quest (2023) Mawande Ka Zenzile. Courtesy of artist and Stevenson

Fig (18) : Lingua Franca (2023) Inga Somdyala. Courtesy of artist and WhatIfTheWorld

Fig (20) : INXEBA ELINGAFUMANI MOYA LIYABOLA (2023) Inga Somdyala. Courtesy of artist and WhatIfTheWorld

Fig (21) : Trending Sons & Co, 261 Victoria Road, Cape Town, South Africa. Photo courtesy of Bella Knemeyer

Fig (22) : Rex Trueform Building Detail, Cape Town, South Africa. Photo courtesy of Bella Knemeyer

Fig (23) : 261-344 Victoria Road, Salt River / 6 (2024) Bella Knemeyer. Courtesy of artist

Fig (24) : Untitled (White Triangle) (2024) Sam Nhlengethwa. Courtesy of the artist and Goodman Gallery

Fig (25) : Untitled (2023) Zander Blom. Courtesy of the artist and Stevenson

Fig (26) : Chronicle of a Death Foretold VI (2023) Inga Somdyala. Courtesy of the artist and WhatIfTheWorld

Fig (27) : Still Life as Space (2024) Unathi Mkonto. Courtesy of the artist.png