Die werk van Alexis Preller, 1934-1928, en 'n catalogue raisonné

Abstract

Alexis Preller is op 6 September 1911 in Pretoria gebore, waar hy ook op 13 Desember 1975 oorlede is. Hy was die jongste van vyf kinders van Olivia Maria Sandenberg en Mauritz Herman Otto Preller, ‘n neef van die bekende Afrikaner-historikus en -taalstryder Gustav Preller. Tydens sy skooljare aan die Pretoria Boys High School het Preller aktief belanggestel in die toneel- en skryfkuns. Na die voltooiing van sy skoolopleiding was hy werksaam in die stadsraad van Pretoria. Gedurende 1932 raak hy bevriend met Norman Eaton, wat hom aangemoedig het om na Groot Brittanje te gaan en hom as kunsskilder te bekwaam. In 1933 het hy uit die betrekking wat hy by die Pretoriase Stadsraad beklee het, bedank en die jaar daarop na Groot Brittanje vertrek waar hy met J. H. Pierneef kennis gemaak het. Tydens sy verblyf in Groot Brittanje het hy sy kunsopleiding ontvang aan die Westminster School of Art onder Mark Gertler. Na sy terugkeer na Pretoria in 1935 het hy sy eerste eenmanstentoonstelling gehou. Sy werke het uit die staanspoor getoon dat kleur ‘n belangrike element in sy werk sou wees. Aanvanklik was hy sterk beinvloed deur Van Gogh en Gauguin. In 1937 vertrek hy na die suide van Frankryk waar hy tuisgegaan het in Monte Carlo. Met sy terugkeer in 1938 het hy by die Nuwe Groep aangesluit en deelgeneem aan hul eerste tentoonstelling. Daarna het hy en Truter na Swaziland gereis. In 1939 onderneem hy ‘n reis na die destydse Belgiese Kongo (Zaire) wat 'n sterk stimulerende uitwerking op sy kuns gehad het. Hy keer terug met talle idees en veral die ‘urn-kop’ (ritueel misvormde kop van Kongo-kinders) het onmiddellik en telkens daarna in sy werk na vore gekom. Tydens die Tweede Wereldoorlog (1939 - 45) het Preller in 1940 by die Suid-Afrikaanse Mediese Korps aangeslui t. Hy is die volgende jaar na Noord-Afrika en meer spesifiek na Egipte waar hy in die 14de Veldambulanseenheid diens gedoen het. In 1942 word hy krygsgevangene geneem en na Italie gestuur. Na onderhandelings met die Rooi Kruis word hy in 1943 gerepatrieer na Suid-Afrika. Met sy terugkeer na sy vaderland in 1944 het hy ‘n tentoonstelling van sy werke in Johannesburg gehou. Hierin het nuwe idees na vore gekom en het Afrika-visioene en oorlogsindrukke saamgevloei op sy skilderdoeke. In dieselfde jaar laat bou hy sy eerste ateljee ‘Ygdrasil’ na die ontwerp van Norman Eaton. Tydens ‘n volgende besoek aan Europa in 1946 het hy twee maande lank die versamelings in die groot kunsmuseums in Londen en Parys bestudeer en in die Louvre die klassieke Griekse beeldhoustukke bestudeer. In die volgende jaar het Preller sy ateljee verkoop en na die Seychelle vertrek. Na sy besoek aan die Seychelle het Preller twee tentoonstellings in Johannesburg en Pretoria gehou waarop skulp- en vismotiewe maar ook Christuskoppe in sy werk voorgekom het. Deur middel van sy gebruik van kleur en die invloed van die inheemse kuns in sy werk, het hy Suid-Afrika bewus gemaak daarvan dat ‘n Europese benadering nie summier op die Suid Afrikaanse toneel oorgedra kan word nie.

Alexis Preller was born in Pretoria on 6 September 1911 where he died on 13 December 1975. He was the youngest of the five children of Olivia Maria Sandenberg and Mauritz Herman Otto Preller, a cousin of the well known Afrikaner historian and activist for Afrikaans, Gustav Preller. During his school years at the Pretoria Boys' High School, Preller was actively interested in the art of writing and drama. After completing his school education he worked for the City Council of Pretoria. In 1932 he made friends with Norman Eaton who encouraged him to go to Great Britain in order to study art and train as an artist. In 1933 he resigned the position he had held in the City Council of Pretoria and in the following year he left for Great Britain where he met J.H. Pierneef. During his stay in Great Britain he attended the westminster School of Art under Mark Gertler. On his return to Pretoria in 1935 he held his first one man exhibition. From the start it was obvious from his works that colour would be an important element in his work. Initially he was strongly influenced by Van Gogh and Gauguin. In 1937 he left for France where he stayed in Monte Carlo. On his return to South Africa in 1938 he joined the New Group and participated in their first exhibition. After this he and Truter travelled to Swaziland. In 1939 he travelled to the then Belgian Congo (Zaire) which had a most stimulating effect on his art. He returned with numerous ideas, especially the "urn head" (ritual misshapen head of Congo children) which occurred in his work immediately and over and over again in his ensuing work. During the Second World War (1939- 1945) Preller joined the war effort by enlisting in the South African Medical Corps in 1940. In 1941 he was sent to Egypt where he served in the 14th Field Ambulance unit. In 1942 he was taken prisoner of war and sent to Italy. After negotiations with the Red Cross he was repatriated to South Africa in 1943. On his return to his fatherland in 1944, he held an exhibition of his work in Johannesburg. In these paintings fresh ideas were presented. Africa-visions and war impressions converged on his canvasses. In the same year his first studio, Ygdrasil, was built according to designs drawn up by Norman Eaton. On his next visit to Europe in 1946 he spent two months studying the collections of the large art museums in London and Paris. In the Louvre he studied classical Greek sculpture. In 1947 Preller sold his studio and left for the Seychelles. On his return from the Seychelles Preller held exhibitions in Pretoria and Johannesburg in which shell and fish motives as well as Christ heads appeared. Through his use of colour and with the influence of indigenous art in his work, he brought an awareness to South Africa that an European approach cannot be summarily transposed to the South African scene.