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Art that fuses fantasy and reality
The Walter Battiss Art Museum
Walter Battiss Art Museum in Somerset East
© Walter Battiss Art Museum
Did you know?
Walter Battiss wrote and published ten books, as well as numerous articles in both local and international publications.
The art works in the Walter Battiss Art Museum are testament to the skill and imagination of one of South Africa's great artists, Walter Battiss. His unique vision saw his style move from realism towards more abstract, symbolist work which he felt re?ected his South African heritage.
This Eastern Cape Art Gallery in Somerset East is home to his largest collection of art work and represents his evolution as an artist. He was completely current with the thinking and art trends being explored by his international contemporaries, and way ahead of the art mindset in South Africa at the time.
Battiss worked in oils and watercolours, woodblock and silk-screen prints. Calligraphic forms, animal and human abstractions and the in?uence of Ndebele beadwork began to emerge in his art in the 1950s.
There are also echoes of San Rock art in his work, which draws on Expressionism both in style and colours. The influence of artists such as Oskar Kokoshka and Ernst Ludwig Kirschner, known for their thick applications of impasto paint, dramatic colours and dark outlines, is also evident.
Although the collection is valuable as a whole, there are several important works to look out for when visiting this Sommerset East gallery. These include ‘Figures and Rocks' from1940. This piece references Matisse's painting's ‘La Joie de Vivre' (1905) and ‘Luxe, Calme et Volupte' (1904) both stylistically and thematically.
Another important work is ‘Father and son in the rocks' from 1949. It was controversial because of its style and subject matter which was unlike any other form of painting being produced at that time in South Africa. It also expresses the in?uences of San rock art on Battiss' art.
‘Coco de Mer, Seychelles', and ‘Liza Minelli' from the 1970's show how international and contemporary Battiss work had become, with its references to the Pop Art of Andy Warhol and Robert Rauschenberg. The museum's collection of 8 watercolours is also exceptional.
Battiss also created and participated in many different forms of interventionist, performances or art happenings and installations from the late ‘60's until his death in 1982.
Travel tips & Planning info
Who to contact
Somerset East Tourism
Ros Turner, Tourism Officer
Tel: +27 (0)42 243 1448/073 698 6539
Email: bluecranetourism@telkomsa.net
How to get here
Somerset East is on the R63, between Cookhouse and Pearston. It is 180km from Port Elizabeth and 104km from Cradock. The museum address is number 45 Paulet Street, Somerset East,
Around the area
The museum documents the Somerset East's rich history as a frontier town.
Tours to do
You can request a guided tour of the collection by contacting the Sommerset East Tourism office.
What will it cost
Entrance is R10 per person.