A rare selection of 30 works by Norman Catherine, spanning painting, sculpture and printmaking, comes together in a special Strauss & Co auction.
There are not many opportunities to encounter a broad cross-section of Norman Catherine’s work in a single setting. A new auction selection is bringing together paintings, sculptures and prints that span decades of the artist’s practice.
The special focus, under the Art Club banner, forms part of an upcoming sale by Strauss & Co, curated by senior art specialist Elmarie van Straten.
The group of 30 lots offers a rare overview of Catherine’s visual language, from early surrealist-inspired drawings to the satirical figures and distorted characters that have become central to his work.
Catherine’s art often sits somewhere between humour and unease. His exaggerated heads, bold colours and cartoon-like forms carry sharp commentary on identity and power.
The selection includes several of his hand-carved and painted wood sculptures, among them Smokehead (estimate R200,000–R300,000) and Hammerhead (estimate R30,000–R50,000). Both works use the symbolic “head” motif Catherine has returned to throughout his career.
The sale also touches on one of the most playful chapters in South African conceptual art. Catherine collaborated with Walter Battiss on the fictional world of Fook Island, an imaginary republic complete with its own language and mythology. Works such as Luminous Fook Mook reference that project’s experimental spirit.
Alongside sculptures, the session includes multiples and works on paper, including Apocalypse (estimate R7,000–R9,000). These pieces highlight Catherine’s ability to balance a carnival-like palette of primary colours with darker undertones.
Catherine’s work has travelled far beyond South Africa. Pieces are held in collections at institutions such as Museum of Modern Art and the Brooklyn Museum. His distinctive style also caught the attention of David Bowie, who once praised the “scintillating youthfulness” of his vision.
For viewers and collectors alike, the sale offers a rare moment to see the breadth of Catherine’s imaginative world brought together in one place, from playful experimentation to biting satire.
The selection includes 30 works in total, spanning from Catherine’s earliest drawings from 1975 to more recent sculptures. The works can be viewed Monday to Friday from 09:00 to 17:00 at Strauss & Co’s Woodstock gallery in Cape Town, with the exhibition closing on 9 March at 14:00.
If you want to do more than watch and take part in the action, you can register for the auction here.
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