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Irma
Stern is regarded as one of South Africa's major artists and her
contribution to South African Art is undisputed.
She
was born in 1894 in the Transvaal but her formative years were
shaped in Germany. Settling in Cape Town in 1920, her work
captures the white South African predicament of merging a
Euro centric background with the African milieu where she
portrayed her experience during her extensive travels through
Africa and Europe in a romantic, expressive way. Numerous
expeditions to the Congo and Zanzibar left a lasting influence on
her work.
The
vibrancy of this experience is captured in her work through
energetic brushwork and vivid use of colour in the numerous
portraits, still life paintings and landscapes that she completed.
Irma Stern's work is passionate, visually stimulating, rich in
texture and the content reflects on her inner struggle to find a
connection between her idealised world and reality.
Her
work is represented in al the major collections and museums
and her residence in Cape Town is now a museum housing a
large collection of her work and her extensive collection of
African artifacts. |
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| 1894 |
Born
at Schweizer-Reneke, Tvl. South Africa |
| 1901 |
Settles
in Germany |
| 1904 |
Visits
Zanzibar; settles in Berlin |
| 1909 |
Returns
to Wolmaransstad S. A. |
| 1912 |
Commences
formal art studies in Berlin |
| 1913 |
Studies
- Weimar Academy under Carl Fritjof Smith; visits S. A. |
| 1914 |
Studies
under Prof. Gari Melchers, Martin Brandenburg. |
| 1918 |
Founder
member of 'Novembergruppe', works accepted by 'Freie Sezession',
Berlin |
| 1919 |
Exhibits
at Fritz Gurlitt Gallery, Berlin |
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| 1920 |
Exhibits
with 'Freie Sezession', publishes two portfolios; returns to Cape
Town |
| 1922 |
First
S. A. exhibition at Ashbey's Gallery, Cape Town; visit to Umgababa |
| 1923 |
Writes
'Umgababa Buch' ; Travels to Europe, exhibits Berlin |
| 1924 |
Exhibits
Frankfurt, Leipzig, Chemnitz, Vienna, Berlin; visits Northern
Transvaal, Zululand |
| 1925 |
Ashbey's
Gallery, Cape Town |
| 1926 |
Marries
Johannes Prinz; exhibitions Johannesburg, Cape Town, Bloemfontein;
visits Europe |
| 1927 |
Exhibits
Berlin, Breslau, Paris, Prix d'Honour at Bordeax International
Exhibition; publication Osborn's monograph; buys 'The Firs'
residence , Rosebank, Cape Town; visits Swaziland |
| 1928 |
Exhibits
Brussels |
| 1929 |
Visits
Pondoland; exhibits Cape Town; selected to represent S. A. on
'Empire Art Exhibition', London; visits, exhibits Frankfurt,
Hanover, Vienna, Paris |
|
| 1930 |
Exhibitions
Amsterdam, The Hague, Paris |
| 1931 |
Visits
Madeira, Europe |
| 1932 |
Exhibitions
Berlin, Paris, The Hague, London |
| 1933 |
Exhibitions
Johannesburg, Pretoria |
| 1934 |
Divorce |
| 1935 |
Exhibitions
Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town; her father dies |
| 1936 |
Exhibitions
Cape Town, Johannesburg |
| 1937 |
Exhibitions
Cape Town, London, The Hague; visits Italy |
| 1938 |
Exhibition
Cape Town; visits Dakar, Europe |
| 1939 |
Zanzibar |
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| 1940 |
Exhibitions
Cape Town, Johannesburg |
| 1941 |
Exhibition
Johannesburg |
| 1942 |
Congo;
exhibits Johannesburg, Elizabethville, Cape Town |
| 1943 |
Exhibitions
Cape Town, Johannesburg; 'Congo' published |
| 1944 |
Exhibits
Cape Town, Johannesburg; mother dies |
| 1945 |
Zanzibar |
| 1946 |
Exhibits
Cape Town, Johannesburg; visits Congo |
| 1947 |
Exhibits
Cape Town, Johannesburg; visits Europe, exhibitions Paris,
Rotterdam, London, Brussels |
| 1948 |
Exhibits
Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Paris; visits Europe, North
Africa; |
| 1949 |
Exhibits
Cape Town |
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| 1950 |
Exhibits
Venice Biennale, Cape Town; visits Madeira, Madrid, south of
France |
| 1951 |
Exhibits
Cape Town, Johannesburg, visits Natal |
| 1952 |
Exhibits
Cape Town |
| 1953 |
Exhibits
Cape Town; Paris visits Rome - Picasso retrospective |
| 1954 |
Exhibits
Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria |
| 1955 |
Exhibits
Cape Town, Germany; visits Europe, Congo, Turkey |
| 1956 |
Exhibits
Cape Town, Johannesburg, Berlin; visits Europe; brother dies |
| 1957 |
Retrospective
Cape Town, Sao Paulo Biennale |
| 1958 |
Exhibitions
Cape Town, Venice Biennale |
| 1959 |
Exhibition
Cape Town, Molteno Prize; visits Europe |
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| 1960 |
Regional
Award Peggy Guggenheim International Art prize |
| 1961 |
Exhibits
Cape Town, visits Spain |
| 1962 |
Exhibits
Cape Town, Johannesburg visits Madeira, North Africa |
| 1963 |
Exhibits
Cape Town, visits Madeira; Oppenheimer Trust Award |
| 1964 |
Exhibits
Cape Town, 'My Three Madeiras'; retrospective graphics |
| 1965 |
Exhibits
Cape Town, Paris; visits Riviera; Medal of Honour 'SA
Akademie vir Wetenskap en Kuns' |
| 1966 |
Retrospective
Cape Town, dies Cape Town |
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| 'Irma
Stern: A feast for the Eye', Marion Arnold, ISBN 0-620-19014-0 |
