A landmark single-artist auction is bringing Walter Battiss back into the spotlight this June to celebrate a lifetime of creativity, rebellion and imagination that still feels surprisingly fresh today.
Titled What the Fook? The Life and Work of Walter Battiss, the online sale spans more than 40 years of the South African artist’s output. From early paintings inspired by ancient rock art to later works from his fantastical invention, Fook Island, the collection is a reminder of just how far ahead of his time Battiss really was.
Running from 12 to 30 June 2025, the timed auction includes over 50 lots — oil paintings, watercolours, screenprints and drawings — many from private collections that are rarely seen in public. Some of these pieces belonged to former students of Battiss, including art historian Murray Schoonraad and composer Robert Schröder, who both studied under him at Pretoria Boys High.
Among the highlights is The Spirit of Africa, a striking double-panelled work from around 1960 that once hung in a modernist home in Kimberley. Estimated to sell for up to R1.2 million, it leads a selection that also includes abstract compositions, figural paintings and playful scenes exploring community, sexuality and mythology.
One of the earliest works in the catalogue, The Early Men and Women (Cave), dates back to 1938, the same year Battiss co-founded the New Group, a rebellious collective of young artists pushing against conservative art traditions in South Africa. That period marked a turning point in his practice, with a new interest in Southern African rock art, archaeology and storytelling. His detailed observations of ancient engravings and paintings over two decades would go on to shape his approach to modern art.
But it was in the 1970s that Battiss truly broke the rules, by creating an entirely fictional utopia called Fook Island. Complete with its own language, passports, currency and culture, Fook Island became a powerful vehicle for satire, joy and self-expression in the face of censorship. A number of works from this era are included in the sale, including illustrated Fook Island maps, heraldry, and famously provocative “orgy” scenes.
Despite his eccentric public image, Battiss was a serious and disciplined artist who worked in multiple mediums across his lifetime. His commitment to craft and his vision of art as something deeply optimistic and human remains central to his appeal.
Whether you’re a long-time admirer or discovering him for the first time, What the Fook? is a unique opportunity to view, collect and reflect on the work of one of South Africa’s most original creative thinkers.
The full catalogue is available online at straussart.co.za, with viewing times in Cape Town running from 9 to 24 June.
