Self portrait, detail from Bloomsbury, London 1975

RELATED LINKS: Joburg is art lover's paradise THERE are several art exhibitions on the city's events diary in the run up to Christmas, from Walter Battiss to Joburg's street artists. Read more What's on FOLLOW our interactive guide to what to do in the city of gold. Read more This week in Joburg LUCILLE Davie rounds up the best jols in Jozi. Read more An artistic treasure house in the middle of Joburg IT is the biggest gallery on the sub-continent, with a collection larger than that of the South African National Art Gallery in Cape Town. This is the Johannesburg Art Gallery, home to some of the most prized works in the country and in the world. Read more Art Galleries JOHANNESBURG has a number of well-established, world-class art galleries. The city boasts several corporate collections too: one of these, held by Absa bank, is said to be the largest such exhibition in the world. Read more

Walter Battiss' Comores

Final days of Gentle Anarchist AN exhibition spanning the 50-odd year career of Walter Battiss, the Gentle Anarchist, explores his influences and his idealism. November 30, 2005 By Buhle Makabane A RETROSPECTIVE of Walter Battiss's works, covering more than 50 years, shows just how far ahead of his time this artist, philosopher and idealist was. "Gentle Anarchist" is in its final week. On at the Standard Bank Gallery until 3 December, the exhibition is a belated tribute to the "grand old man" of South African arts. The exhibition gives the public a chance to appreciate the works of one of the greatest South Africans artist ever to have lived. A fully illustrated catalogue accompanies the exhibition, in which well-known artists, art historians and writers have focused on Battiss's preoccupations and achievements. About 200 works, drawn from public and private collections across South Africa, are on show, including oil and watercolour paintings, graphic art, sketches and tapestries. The exhibition delves into the artist's interpretations of Africa, his watercolours and erotica, his involvement with Rorke's Drift Arts and Crafts Centre in KwaZulu-Natal, his concept of Fook Island, his many travels, and his own literary output. Battiss visited Greece from 1966 to 1968 and the Seychelles in 1972, inspiring him to create Fook Island, a dream world for which he created a map, imaginary people, plants and animals. Collectively the works on show reflect Battiss's creative development during his prolific 50-year career. At the same time they provide insight into the diversity of his subject matter, techniques and styles. Battiss was born in Somerset East in 1906 and became one of South Africa's first and most important abstract painters. He died in 1982. The Standard Bank Gallery is at the corner of Simmonds and Frederick streets in central Johannesburg. It is open from Monday to Friday from 8am to 4.30pm and on Saturday from 9am to 1pm. It is closed on Sunday and on public holidays. For more information, contact the gallery on 011 631 1889. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za