The Norval Sovereign African Art Prize 2023 Benefit Auction | Hosted by Sotheby’s

Willie Bester

Transition

Lot Closed

January 31, 05:28 PM GMT

Estimate

8,000 - 10,000 USD

Lot Details

Description

Willie Bester

South African

b.1956

Transition

signed and dated 2021 (lower left of image)

bronze

107 by 95 by 17cm., 42⅛ by 37⅜ by 6¾in.

Please be aware of the Conditions of Sale when bidding. As a benefit auction, there is no buyer’s premium charged. The only additional costs due to the winning bidder are applicable sales tax and shipping. Works auctioned are sold “as is,” and condition reports are included with lot descriptions as available. In-person previews of the auction artwork will be available at Norval Foundation at 4 Steenberg Rd, Tokai, Cape Town, 7945, South Africa from 25 January – 20 March, Monday to Sundays 9AM – 5:00PM (Closed on Tuesdays).Please note that while this auction is hosted on Sothebys.com, it is being administered by Norval Foundation (“the museum”), and all post-sale matters (inclusive of invoicing and property pickup/shipment) will be handled by the museum. As such, Sotheby’s will share the contact details for the winning bidders with the museum so that they may be in touch directly post-sale.

This work has been kindly donated by the artist

Willie Bester is cited globally as one of South Africa's most important resistance artists. He incorporates recycled material into his paintings, assemblages and sculptures, creating powerful artworks that speak against political, social and economic injustice. His characteristic combination of photographs, paint and found materials in layered compositions allows Bester to express his views on a wide range of political issues.

Transition (2021) is part of a series that investigates the human condition and the lack of accountability regarding human rights violations. By juxtaposing images of atrocity with mundane objects and scenes, Bester draws our attention to how systems of domination become normalised and how acts of state violence can be forgotten, sanitised or repressed in broader cultural consciousness.