Jan Neethling – Artists Library

Jan Neethling has, over the years, made a name for himself as a distinguished artist. For some fifty years he has creatively collaborated with one of South Africa’s foremost artists, Robert Hodgins. Until recently, Jan was little known outside Johannesburg. This, I believe, was partly due to his own modest and introvert nature, as well as to the generous attitude with which he unconditionally welcomed and supported each and every success.

Robert Hodgins achieved with his art. There is no doubt, however, that from the moment they met, Robert became Jan’s mentor and muse. Due to his retiring nature perhaps, Jan has hardly kept any documentary evidence of his own exhibitions and artistic achievements. This was one of the reasons why his last solo exhibition at Erdmann Contemporary in Cape Town in 2013, lead to Heid Erdmann’s decision to produce a book on Jan Neethling’s work and to get to know him better as a painter, graphic artist and sculptor, and to try and fill in some of the many existing gaps in his artistic career.

Jan Neethling social satire colour Robert Hodgins

Artist: Jan Neethling

Essays by: Karin Skawran, Wilhelm Van Rensburg, Neil Dundas.

Gallery: Erdmann Contemporary, Cape Town

Dates: 25 March 2013 – 11 May 2013

Website: http://smashingcapetown.blogspot.co.za/2013/04/jan-neethling-greek-goddess-up-to-no.html

Pages: 45