Gavin Jantjes

Private Collection

Sharjah, Sharjah Art Foundation and London, Whitechapel Gallery, Gavin Jantjes: To Be Free! A Retrospective 1970–2023, November 2023 - September 2024

Untitled (from the Witney Series) (2021) represents a dynamic return to abstraction from one of South Africa’s most revered artists, whose career has spanned more than five decades and bridged continents and movements. Measuring an imposing 200.2 by 145.2 cm, this acrylic on canvas is a testament to Jantjes’ evolving practice and his lifelong engagement with color, form, and social change. The painting was prominently exhibited in the major retrospective Gavin Jantjes: To Be Free! A Retrospective 1970–2023, held at Sharjah Art Foundation and London’s Whitechapel Gallery, underscoring its significance within his oeuvre.

Jantjes has played a vital role in both the history of South African art and global dialogues around liberation and identity. While his earlier works were marked by overt political commentary and complex figuration, this recent “Witney Series” showcases his profound delight in the possibilities of abstraction. Jantjes embraces a liberated, gestural approach: fields of vibrant color interact across the surface in bold, spontaneous harmonies, revealing his renewed fascination with the optical and emotional effects of color. This return to colour study marks a significant shift in his practice, echoing the early modernists while affirming his own mature sensibility. Jantjes himself has expressed joy in the freedom these works allow, characterizing this phase as a space of exploration and artistic pleasure.

Untitled (from the Witney Series) invites viewers into a realm where rigorous formal inquiry meets the playful investigation of paint and pigment. The composition’s vitality and confident palette encapsulate the artist’s commitment to continual reinvention, making this work  a landmark both within Jantjes’ formidable career and in the context of contemporary abstraction.