DIRECTOR'S SELECTION

BONITA ALICE, Sorry XV

Woollen dust and archival glue on Fabriano 300gsm paper, 56 x 77 cm

GUY DU TOIT, Hare on Stairs II

Bronze, 23 x 27 x 8 cm

RICKY DYALOYI, In Replay II

Mixed media on canvas, 148 x 150 cm

RICKY DYALOYI, Sellers and Buyers, 2015

Mixed media on canvas, 150 x 150 cm

RICKY DYALOYI, The Multitude (diptych)

Oil on canvas, 98 x 148 cm

DYLAN LEWIS, S-H 30 f Beast with Two Backs

Bronze, 17 x 7.5 x 15 cm

Dylan Lewis is Africa’s most internationally renowned living figurative sculptor. Collectively Lewis’ bronzes of felines form perhaps the most powerful commentary on nature and wilderness that has been made by any artist of this era. His cats are far more profound works of art than mere contemporary animalia bronzes. Indeed, they fully interrogate the lithe, almost boneless, grace of these apex predators – creatures that impart by their very presence a palpable tension to any true wilderness.

Lewis’ cats are imbued with a unique dense energy by an artist who, through a lifetime of immersing himself in pristine natural environments, somehow contrives to elevate his sculpture into a homage not only to the singular animals but indeed to their ancient lineages. Lewis’ bronzes fully capture the essence of an organism perfectly adapted to its habitat – the bodily expression of DNA adapting to eons of inexorable environmental change. In the presence of his art, it does not take long to be affected by the rare brilliance and self-confident virtuosity honed by decades of work both in nature and his studio.

Whilst his cat sculptures have attracted collectors’ attention, Lewis has gradually shifted vision and focus onto the human figure. Elements of humanity began to be hinted at in some early sculptures in the artists development. A growing body of recent work featuring highly charged emotional and erotic human forms now dominate much of this fascinating sculptor’s artistic output.

Lewis’ sculpture has been avidly collected internationally for decades and this has resulted in two auctions at Christies being wholly dedicated Lewis’ bronzes. Dylan Lewis lives in Stellenbosch, South Africa. He has developed a unique sculpture garden where some of his most celebrated bronzes may be viewed within the natural environment that intellectually nourishes their maker.

NIGEL MULLINS, After Karel Dujardin 1663, 2016

OIL ON SUPERWOOD AND FRAME, 60 x 50 cm

NIGEL MULLINS, Heroic Prosperity (Homage to Lorraine and Griff Mullins), 2015

OIL ON SUPERWOOD, WIRE AND ANTIQUE FRAME, 75 x 100 cm (29 1/2 x 39 5/16 in.)

NIGEL MULLINS, Protect You from Extraordinary Calamities of the Future

Oil on superwood and frame, 84 x 45 cm

NIGEL MULLINS, Bring Back Lost Love (London Olympics 1908), 2016

Oil and copper wire on superwood, 40 x 38 cm

NIGEL MULLINS, LIFE Elephant

oil on supawood and frame, with plastic flowers, 71 x 48 cm

NIGEL MULLINS, Le Nouveau Medieval I

oil on wood and frame with key, 100 x 60 cm

BRETT MURRAY, Fucking Twitter

Bronze, 40 x 20 x 28 cm

BRETT MURRAY, Refuge

Carrara marble, 43 x 30.2 x 60 cm

DANIEL NAUDÉ, Africanis dog. Murraysburg, South Africa, 7 February 2009

Archival pigment print on hahnemuehle cotton rag 308 gsm paper, 24 x 24 cm

WILLIAM PEERS, Achill III

Carrara marble on Tunisian marble base, 44 x 37 x 7 cm

LIONEL SMIT, Restructure #2

Bronze, 45 x 31 x 25 cm

ANGUS TAYLOR, Becoming

Patinated bronze with malachite, 20 x 16 x 11 cm

FLORIAN WOZNIAK, Know It Alls

Bronze, 24 x 26 x 9 cm

BARBARA WILDENBOER, A Brief History of the Multiverse VI

Hand-cut paper sculpture with clock mechanism

BARBARA WILDENBOER, A Brief History of the Multiverse II

Hand-cut paper sculpture with clock mechanism

BARBARA WILDENBOER, A Brief History of the Multiverse I

Hand-cut paper sculpture with clock mechanism