The 10 best living artists in South Africa

Welcome to our weekly online
The 10 best living artists in South Africa. 8 By Andries Loots 9 April 2000 This week artist Peter Clarke is featured.

	Peter Edward Clarke ( 1929 - )
Born 1929 in Simonstown, Cape A versatile artist who does not only creates pictorial art but is also known as poet and writer. He also makes jewelry with leather metal and glass and lately started making books form recycled paper and found objects. Peter is also highly recommended as a graphic artist working with woodcuts.
Studies: 1947 - Night classes at St Philips School under John Coplans 1948 - Technical College, Roeland Street, Cape Town 1950 - Formed own Art Group 1961 - Michaelis Art School, etching classes 1962-63 - Rijksakademie voor Beeldende Kunsten, graphics 1978-79 - Atelier Nord in Oslo, Norway
Exhibitions: He has participated in numerous group exhibitions from 1951 in SA, Yugoslavia, West Germany, Brazil, Austria, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, USA, Argentina, Norway, Botswana, Japan, Switzerland, UK, Nigeria, Kenya, Australia and Israel 1957 - Golden City Post, Cape Town first Solo Exhibition 1960 - Yugoslavia, South African Graphic Art 1961 - Sao Paulo Biennial 1963 - 5th International Biennial, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia 1964 - 6th International Biennial, Ljubliana, Yugoslavia 1964 - Venice Biennial 1968 - First International Group Exhibition, Florence 1969 - Second International Group Exhibition, Florence 1971 - South African Art Group Exhibition touring Netherlands and Belgium 1971 - Pratt Institute, New York 1979 - South African Printmakers Exhibition, S.A National Gallery, Cape Town 1982 - South African Art, National Gallery, Gaborone, Botswana 1994 - Third Triennial World Exhibition of Prints, Auvergne ( France ) 1995 - Eighteenth Triennial World Exhibition of Prints, Kanagawa ( Japan ) 1999- Lipschitz Gallery, Cape Town Represented: South African National Gallery, Cape Town William Humphreys Gallery, Kimberley University of South Africa, Pretoria Library of Congress, Washington, DC. USA Fisk University, Nashville, Tennesse, USA Museum on Contemporary Art, Skopje, Yugoslavia Museum of African American Art, Los Angeles, USA Kunsthalle der Stadt, Bielefeldt, Germany King George VI Gallery, Port Elizabeth National Gallery, Gaborone, Botswana Bowmint Collection, Pretoria Pretoria Art Museum Stichting Africa Museum, Bergen Dal, The Netherlands William Annendale Art Gallery, Lichtenburg

" Wind blowing on Cape Flats " Gouache on paper Coll. Elsabé Blair, Hermanus	" Fish and Wine " Hand coloured Woodcut Coll. A.G. Loots, Kommetjie
Profile: A member of the South African Association of Arts 1984 a founder member of the Vakalisa Art Associates 1965 awarded Accademico Onorario of the Accademia Fiorentina delle Arti des Disegno, Florence, Italy In 1975 elected an Honorary Fellow in Writing, University of Iowa, USA 1982 awarded a Diploma of Merit in Literature, Universita delle Arti, Italy 1983 awarded a Diploma of Merit in Art, Accademia Italia 1983 elected an Honorary Member of the Museum of African American Art, Los Angeles, USA 1984 elected an Honorary Doctor of Literature, World Academy of Arts and Culture, Taipei, Taiwan 1979 an art teacher at Kleinberg Primary School, Ocean View, Cape Province From 1979 voluntarily teaches children in Ocean View Has illustrated books published in South Africa, Sweden, Germany, Switzerland, Nigeria and the UK From the 1950s has written short stories, essays and is an internationally recognized poet 1962-63 and 1978-79 visited Europe, USA, Botswana and Israel Peter is a true artist in all aspects of the word. He has not only mastered all the visual techniques but also became renowned as a writer and a poet. He worked and exhibited during a time in South Africa's history when it was nearly impossible for any artist to have outside contact. A book with the title " Peter Clarke & James Matthews at 70, MORE THAN BOTHERS ", ISBN 0-7957-0095-4, compiled by Hein Willemse and published by Kwela Books, has just been released and is available from http://www.vgallery.co.za/peterbook.htm. His work is highly undervalued and neglected. The book will help create a better understanding and appreciation for the work of this master.

Example of Book made from recycled paper and leather	Inside of book

The Dictionary of South African Painters and Sculptors, Grania Oglivie, Published Everard Read Gallery, ISBN, 0 620 12663 9 Art and Artists of South Africa, Esme Berman, ISBN 1 86812 345 6 Land and Lives, Elza Miles, ISBN 0 7981 3658 8 Peter Clarke & James Matthews at 70, MORE THAN BOTHERS, Hein Willemse, ISBN 0-7957-0095-4