Untitled

Object Details

Gavin Jantjes, born 1948, South Africa

Label Text

This drawing parallels staple foods with the constellation Eridanus, which enters the night sky at the time of the annual Nile floods.

When researching ideas for this drawing, which is part of his Zulu series, Gavin Jantjes referred to his sketchbooks and notes on astronomy, Khoi San rock painting, and collections of words.

Description

Ink on paper painting depicting a circular grid cut off at the bottom and showing constellations with humans, a group inside a small house-like structure and two with a long rope between them, stars and giraffes over a dark green, blue and purple background.

Exhibition History

African Cosmos: Stellar Arts, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., June 20-December 9, 2012; Newark Museum, February 26-August 11, 2013; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, August 23-November 30, 2014; Michael C. Carlos Museum at Emory University, Atlanta, January 31-June 21, 2015 (exhibited at NMAfA and Carlos Museum)

Insights, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., February 27 to November 28, 2004

Claiming Art / Reclaiming Space: Post Apartheid Art from South Africa, National Museum of African Art, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., June 21-September 26, 1999

Content Statement

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Image Requests

High resolution digital images are not available for some objects. For publication quality photography and permissions, please contact the Eliot Elisofon Photographic Archives at https://africa.si.edu/research/eliot-elisofon-photographic-archives/

Credit Line

Purchased with funds provided by the Smithsonian Collections Acquisition Program

1990

Object number

96-23-7

Restrictions & Rights

Usage conditions apply

Copyright

© 1990 Gavin Jantjes

Type

Painting

Medium

Ink on paper

Dimensions

H x W x D: 69.2 × 104.2 cm (27 1/4 × 41 in.)

Geography

South Africa

See more items in

National Museum of African Art Collection

National Museum of African Art

Topic

star

giraffe

male

female

house

Record ID

nmafa_96-23-7

Metadata Usage (text)

Usage conditions apply

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ys70e33ffbf-45c4-48a6-9e46-8ce55b8e8acb