Nicolaas Maritz was born in Pretoria in
1959. The son of two architects, he was exposed to art and design at an
early age. After Fine Art studies at the University of Cape Town he worked
briefly as a graphic designer. He lived in London between 1983 and 1985,
but returned to South Africa permanently in 1986.
He has lectured at the universities of Cape Town and Stellenbosch and
illustrated a number of award winning children's books.
Nicolaas held his first one-man exhibition in 1976 at the Eastern Province
Society of Fine Arts Gallery in Port Elizabeth. Since then he has exhibited
all over South Africa and in London. His most recent show was a one-man
exhibition of new paintings at the Irma Stern Museum in Cape Town.
Although Nicolaas is primarily known as a painter, he also works in many
other media including print-making, ceramics and sculpture.
His mysterious art works have been described as ‘ethno-centric
punk’, zippy and zesty.
This vesatile artist will exhibit works in three different media:
A complex medium, where layers of paint are applied on glass, in reverse.
The resultant colours are extremely bright and clear. Come and marvel
at the expressions on the ‘Cat Portraits’. Or buy one of the
‘Black Lemons’ still lives, or a ‘Memento Mori’,
to hang above your mantelpiece.
This affordable series of lino prints in two colours, will be shown for
the first time.
Subjects include ‘Cat Portraits’, a ‘lizard picture’
as well as male nude studies.
Also included in this show, is a series of nine black and white lino prints,
which served as illustrations for the recently published volume of poetry,
Forgotten City and other Poems, by Gerrit Komrij, the Dutch poet laureate.
(Queillerie/Snailpress,Cape Town,2002).
Maritz is well known by now for his works in this controversial medium.
This time there are still lives with pumpkins, skulls, more Sick Lemons
and portraits of cats.
The art works of Nicolaas Maritz may be seen in all the major art collections
in South Africa, including the South African National Art Gallery. His
most recent one man shows were at the Irma Stern Museum in Cape Town and
the Elsie Balt Art Gallery, Evita se Perron, Darling.
This shy artist lives in Darling, where he continues to paint prolifically,
ignoring the current debates around the necessity for ‘new media’
in art. His hobbies are gardening and reading
His work is represented in all the major art museums and corporate art
collections in South Africa.
EXHIBITIONS
2016
Impressions, group exhibition at The Cape Gallery
2012
Turn Around Time, annual Winter Solstice exhibition at The Cape Gallery
2011
Annual wild life exhibition at The Cape Gallery
Continuum, Annual Winter Solstice exhibition at The Cape Gallery
South African National Gallery, Cape Town.
Pretoria Art Museum.
Johannesburg Art Gallery.
Durban Art Gallery.
King George VI Art Gallery, Port Elizabeth.
Department of National Education, Pretoria.
Anglo American Corporation, Johannesburg.
Standard Bank Art Collection.
Sanlam Art Collection.
ABSA Bank Art Collection.
Rand Merchant Bank Art Collection.
Telkom Art Collection.
Volkskas Art Collection.
SASOL Art Collection.
Akasia Clinic, Pretoria
University of Cape Town Art Collection.
University of Stellenbosch SASOL Art Museum
Didata Art Collection, Johannesburg.
E.Oppenheimer & Sons Art Collection, Johannesburg.
Arabella Sherton Hotel, Cape Town. |