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Bettie Cilliers-Barnard
(1914 – 2010)
Bettie Cilliers-Barnard
Post War
Overview
“I paint because I cannot neglect to paint. The urge to create stems from the search for contact with humankind, with nature and with the Supreme Being. Artistic expression reflects what is true and authentic in life. Art is universal.” Bettie Cilliers-Barnard.
Born in the small town of Rustenburg in the North West Province of South Africa, Bettie Cilliers-Barnard (born Barnard) began her artistic career seriously in her early thirties following a background of teaching and a preliminary interest and basic studies in art. Cilliers-Barnard furthered her studies from Pretoria in art by traveling to Antwerp in Belgium, attending the Opsomer School in 1948 and then studied under André Lhote in Paris.
From an early point in Cilliers-Barnard’s career as an artist she has been philosophical involved, to a point of preoccupation, with the principles of ‘light’ and ‘shade’ in contrast in her works. These are used as metaphors for life and eternity and in her early explorations in technique and form became, along with Douglas Portway, Joan Clare and Nel Erasmus, one of South Africa’s earliest abstract painters in the late 1950s, investigating a new manner of work that existed separately to all other art practices being developed in the country at the time. In this new experimental phase, it was easy to fall into a habit of ‘pattern-making’ in abstract works, but Cilliers-Barnard forced her way through this by her continual return to studying in order to progress her ideas both in method and in theory. She returned to Europe, studying again in Paris under Stanley Hayter followed by working in the Parisian graphic workshop of Jean-Paul Pons, which she returned to many times between 1956 and 1981.
Many of Cilliers-Barnard’s abstract compositions that she continued throughout the 1960s incorporate circles, a shape which is imbedded with symbolism and reflects the source that is fundamental to Cilliers-Barnard’s point of focus in regard to her exploration of ‘light’, that being the sun. Cilliers-Barnard is quoted by Muller Ballot in explaining, “the sun happened to have the perfect geometrical form of the circle. Satisfying in the world of ideas, satisfying in the struggle for arresting and ‘complete’ composition.”(Bettie Cilliers-Barnard. Towards Infinity. 2006:137)
By the early 1970s Cilliers-Barnard shifted her focus onto the theme of ‘man’ as an element of society and as an individual in order to further explore her interest in life and eternity. Returning from her fourth study in Paris in 1971 she began to include figures and tangible objects into her compositions again, depicting faces which are to an extent abstracted and used to portray the ‘inner-self’ in relation to Cilliers-Barnard’s developed philosophy on the use of symbols. Cilliers-Barnard’s integration of colour isused as thebody to transcribe light and shade within all of her paintings, both figurative and non-figurative. The use of symbols are not intentionally based on a historical or literary context, but are developed as a personal representation by the artist to divulge certain elements of her own ideals and set symbols that exist as a result of her own understandings of the world. These symbols are used to suggest or evoke certain emotions or understandings and is done so almost subconsciously by Cilliers-Barnard.
Cilliers-Barnard’s extensive life means that she has been witness to a great deal of the last century’s artistic developments in South Africa. The extraordinary journey of her life has exposed her to the various inspirations, both physical and philosophical, that have surrounded her in both her homeland and in the world. Her devoted involvement in the arts both nationally and internationally is reflected in the many awards that she has received throughout her life for her own artwork and for the contributions that she has made to the global art world, substantiating her as one of South Africa’s most attributed and admired artists.
Chronology
1914
Born in Rustenburg (North-West), 18 November
1933
Matriculated at Hoërskool Rustenberg
1934
Registered for BA degree at University of Pretoria
1935
Registered at Normaalkollege, Pretoria
Art Classes with Grace Anderson
1936
Awarded Transvaal Education Diploma by Normaalkollege, Pretoria
1937
Awarded BA degree by University of Pretoria
1938-39
Art teacher, Innesdal Intermediate School
1939-42
Lecturer in Art, Normaalkollege, Pretoria
1940
Completed second year BA (Art) degree, University of South Africa
Part-time classes in Art (Phyllis Gardener) and Art History (Maria Stein-Lessing), Pretoria Technical College
1940-43
Part-time lecturer, Pretoria Art Centre
1942
Married Carl Hancke (Bags) Cilliers, 19 December
1943-44
Painted in the company of Madame ML Stradiot-Bougnet, Pretoria
1946
Birth of son Wimcar, 9 August
First Solo exhibition, Extramural Building, University of Pretoria
1948
Studied in Belgium and France: Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten en de Hogere Instituten, Antwerp, under Professor Julien Creytens (April-June) and Atelier André Lhote, Paris (July=November)
1949
Elected to Management Committee, South African Association of Arts (Northern Transvaal), Pretoria
1950
Birth of daughter, Jana, 5 June
1956
Second period of study in Paris: Atelier 17 (Stanley William Hayter) and Atelier Jean-Paul Pons (August-December)
1961–62
Member of Executive Committee, South African Council of Artists
1964
Brief study trip to Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Austria and France
Third period of study in Paris: Atelier Jean-Paul Pons (August-December)
1967
National Honorary Vice-President of the South African Association of Arts (life nomination)
1971
Fourth period of study in Paris: Atelier Jean-Paul Pons (January-March)
1974
SA Kunskalendar/SA Arts Calendar,November 1974, South African Association of Arts (Northern Transvaal), Pretoria, dedicated to the artist
1981
Fifth period of study in Paris: Atelier Jean-Paul Pons (March-May)
1981-83
Instrumental in obtaining work space for South African artists at the CitéInternationale des Arts, Paris, France
1983
Advisory Committee, Department of Public Works, Delville Wood War Memorial Museum, France
1985
Brief trip to Europe and the USA
1986
Brief trip to France
1996
Launch of book,Bettie Cilliers-Barnard. Bowêreldse Perspektieweby Muller Ballot, Schweickerdt Art Centre and Gallery, Pretoria
1998
Brief trip to Paris with daughter Jana
1999
Donation of three artworks, 18 albums with documentation (1946-1995) and a contribution to her bursary fund for fine arts students of the University of Pretoria
Donation of 6 artworks to the University of Stellenbosch
2001
Death of husband, Bags Cilliers, 29 April
2010
Dies in her home in Pretoria
Education
1935
Art Classes with Grace Anderson
1936
Awarded Transvaal Education Diploma by Normaalkollege, Pretoria
1937
Awarded BA degree by University of Pretoria
1940
Completed second year BA (Art) degree, University of South Africa
Part-time classes in Art (Phyllis Gardener) and Art History (Maria Stein-Lessing), Pretoria Technical College
1948
Studied in Belgium and France: Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten en de Hogere Instituten, Antwerp, under Professor Julien Creytens (April-June) and Atelier André Lhote, Paris (July=November)
1956
Second period of study in Paris: Atelier 17 (Stanley William Hayter) and Atelier Jean-Paul Pons (August-December)
1960
Brief trip to Israel, Belgium and France to research tapestry art. Visits included the studios of Jean Lurcat and Picart le Doux, Paris
1964
Brief study trip to Portugal, Spain, Belgium, Austria and France
Third period of study in Paris: Atelier Jean-Paul Pons (August-December)
1971
Fourth period of study in Paris: Atelier Jean-Paul Pons (January-March)
1981
Fifth period of study in Paris: Atelier Jean-Paul Pons (March-May)
Exhibitions
1946 – First Solo exhibition, Extramural Building, University of Pretoria
1948 – Solo exhibition, Christi Art Gallery, Pretoria
1949 – Solo exhibition, Extramural Building, University of Pretoria
Solo exhibition, Carnegie Library, University of Stellenbosch
Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts (Western Cape), Cape Town
1951 – Solo exhibition, Sonop Restaurant, Bloemfontein
Solo exhibition, Vincent Gallery, Pretoria
1952 – Group exhibition,Van Riebeeck Tercentenary Exhibition, Cape Town
1953 – Solo exhibition, Van Schaik Gallery, Pretoria
Group exhibition,Rhodes Centenary Exhibition, Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)
1954 – Solo exhibition, Municipal Library, Springs
1955 – Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts (Western Cape), Cape Town
Solo exhibition, Lidchi Art Gallery, Johannesburg
Group exhibition,Transvaal Art of Today,South African Association of Arts (Northern Transvaal), Pretoria
1956 – Solo exhibition, Galerie Gérard Mourque, Paris
Venice Biennale
1957 – Solo exhibition, Carl Houbert Hall, Ermelo
Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts (Northern Transvaal), Pretoria
1958 – Solo exhibition, Lidchi Art Gallery, Johannesburg
First International Triennial,Graphic Arts in Colour,Grenchen, Switzerland
Group exhibition,Contemporary Transvaal Art,Rhodes National Gallery, Salisburg, Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)
1959 – Solo exhibition, Maitland Hotel, Bloemfontein
São Paulo Biennale
Group exhibition,Kuns 1959 Art,DS Vorster Art Gallery, Pretoria
1960 – Solo exhibition, Lidchi Art Gallery, Johannesburg
Solo exhibition, DS Vorster Art Gallery, Pretoria
Group exhibition, Second Quadrennial Exhibition of South African Art, South African Association of Arts, Western Cape, Cape Town
Group exhibition, International Guggenheim Prize Exhibition,New York, USA
Group exhibition, South African Graphic Art,Yugoslavia
1961 – Solo exhibition, Lidchi Art Gallery, Durban
São Paulo Biennale
1962 – Solo exhibition, Egon Guenther Gallery, Johannesburg
Group exhibition,Transvaal Art of Today,South African Association of Arts (Northern Transvaal), Pretoria
1963 – Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts (Northern Transvaal), Pretoria
São Paulo Biennale
1964 – Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts (Northern Transvaal), Pretoria
Venice Biennale (Graphic)
Group exhibition,International Art Exhibition,New York World’s Fair, USA
Group exhibition,Third Quadrennial Exhibition of South African Art,South African Association of Arts (Northern Transvaal), Pretoria
1965 – Solo exhibition, Wolpe Gallery, Cape Town
Solo exhibition, Grosvenor House Museum, Stellenbosch
Solo exhibition, Public Library, Worcester
Group exhibition,Art South Africa Today,Durban Art Museum
1966 – Retrospective exhibition 1959-66, Pretoria Art Museum (jointly with Joan Clare)
Group exhibition,Republic Festival Exhibition,Pretoria
Group exhibition,Inaugural exhibition,Hester Rupert Art Museum, Graaff-Reinet
1967 – Solo exhibition, Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg
Retrospective exhibition,A Decade in the Art of Bettie Cilliers-Barnard1957-67, South African Association of Arts (Northern Transvaal), Pretoria
1968 – Group exhibition, ‘Present-day South African Painters’,Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon, Portugal
1969 – Solo exhibition, Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg
1970 – Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts (Northern Transvaal), Pretoria
Group exhibition,Transvaal Artists,National Museum, Bloemfontein
1971 – Solo exhibition, South African Tourist Bureau, London
Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts (Northern Transvaal), Pretoria
Group exhibition,Republic Festival Exhibition,Cape Town
1972 – Solo exhibition, Art History Department, Potchefstroom University for CHE
Solo exhibition, Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg
1973 – Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts (Western Cape), Cape Town
Group exhibition,South African Graphic Art,South African Association of Arts (Southern Transvaal), Johannesburg
1974 – Solo exhibition, Galery “S”, Nelspruit
Retrospective exhibition, South African Association of Arts (Northern Transvaal), Pretoria
Group exhibition,South African Graphic Art Exhibition,Vienna, Italy; Graz, Austria and Tel Aviv, Israel
1975 – Solo exhibition, Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg
Solo exhibition, US Art Gallery, Stellenbosch
Group exhibition,South African Woman Artists,South African Association of Arts (OFS), National Museum, Bloemfontein
1976 – Solo exhibition, Nedbank Gallery, Bloemfontein
Solo exhibition, Nedbank Gallery, Kimberley
Group exhibition,South African Graphic Art, Canberra, Australia
1977 – Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts (Northern Transvaal), Pretoria
Group exhibition,South African Graphic Art,Bonn, Germany
Group exhibition,South African Graphic Art, Canberra, Australia
Group exhibition, South African Art,National Gallery, Salisbury, Rhodesia (Zimbabwe)
1978 – Solo exhibition, Frans du Toit Building, Potchefstroom University for CHE
Retrospective exhibition 1943-77, Art History Department, Potchefstroom University for CHE
Retrospective exhibition of Graphics 1948-78, Van Wouw House, University of Pretoria
Retrospective exhibition 1943-77, C R Swart Building, University of the Orange Free State, Bloemfontein
Solo exhibition, Jack Heath Gallery, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg
1979 – Solo exhibition, Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg
Group exhibition, travelling show of South African Graphic Art, West Germany
Group exhibition, “Art in South Africa’, touring America
1980 – Group exhibition,Art in South Africa, Germany
1981 – Solo exhibition, SFW Wine Centre, Johannesburg
1982 – Group exhibition,South African Graphic Art, South African Embassy, Madrid
1983 – Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts (Western Cape), Cape Town
Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts (Northern Transvaal), Pretoria
1984 – Retrospective Exhibition 1943-84, University of Pretoria
1985 – Solo exhibition, Potchefstroom Museum
Solo exhibition, Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg
1987 – Solo exhibition, Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Republic of China (Invited Artist)
Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts (Northern Transvaal), Pretoria
1988 – Retrospective Exhibition 1943-87, Intersaal, University of Pretoria (58 works donated)
Solo exhibition, Klein Galery, Rustenburg
Solo exhibition, Art History Department, Potchefstroom University for CHE
Group exhibition, Parisian and South African Artists, South African National Gallery, Cape Town and Johannesburg Art Gallery
1989 – Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts (Western Cape), Cape Town
1990 – Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts (Northern Transvaal), Pretoria
1991 – Group exhibition,Young Pioneers of the 50s,Belville Art Gallery
1992 – Solo exhibition, Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg
Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts (Northern Transvaal), Pretoria
1993 – Solo exhibition, Klein Galery, Rustenburg
Group exhibition, ‘Important South African Art’, Schweickerdt Art Gallery, Pretoria
1994 – Retrospective exhibition 1939-94, Pretoria Art Museum
1995 – Retrospective exhibition, 1939-94, Sasol Art Museum, University of Stellenbosch
Prestige exhibition, Potchefstroom University for CHE
1996 – Solo exhibition, South African Association of Arts (Northern Transvaal), Pretoria
‘Space to Breath’ Exhibition, Pretoria Art Museum
Group exhibition,South African Art,Egypt, Cairo
1997 – Group exhibition,South African and Flemish Artists’ Exhibition, University of Stellenbosch
Group exhibition,Executive Art, Association of Art Pretoria
Group exhibition,70+ Living Artists, Sasol Exhibition, KKNK, Oudtshoorn; Sanlam Art Gallery, Bellville
Group exhibition,50thBirthday Celebration Exhibition,Association of Arts Pretoria
1998 – Solo exhibition, Rand Afrikaans University
Group exhibition,The Spirit and Images of Africa,Association of Arts Pretoria
1999 – Group exhibition,Opening Exhibition,State Theatre Art Gallery, Pretoria
Group exhibition,Thoughts around Easter,Gencor Gallery, Rand Afrikaaans University, Johannesburg
Group exhibition,Contemporary South African Art,Old Arts Gallery, University of Pretoria
Group exhibition,African Renaissance,State Theatre Art Gallery, Pretoria
2000 – Solo exhibition, Association of Arts Pretoria
Group exhibition,Hanover 2000 Exhibition, Germany
2001 – Solo exhibition, Association of Arts Pretoria
Group exhibition,Femina 2001,Association of Arts Pretoria
Group exhibition,Women of Tshwane,Sasol Art Museum, University of Stellenbosch
2002 – Accolade exhibition, Potchefstroom Museum
Honorary exhibition (with Gunther van der Reis), Pretoria Art Museum
Group exhibition,Centenary Exhibition,Schweickerdt Art Gallery, University of Pretoria
Group exhibition,30thAnniversary Exhibition,Polokwane Art Collections
Exhibition Opening,SANAVA Art Collection,Absa Bank Gallery, Johannesburg
2003 – Group exhibition,Exhibition of Woman Artists, Voortrekker Monument Art Gallery, Pretoria
Group exhibition,Aardklop Art Festival,Potchefstroom
2004 – Solo exhibition, Association of Arts Pretoria
Group exhibition,Exposição Collectiva,Dialogo (Entre) Culturas, Maputo, Mozambique
2005 – Accolade Exhibition, Hoërskool Rustenburg, North West Province
Group exhibition,Members’ Exhibition,Association of Arts Pretoria
Collections
Public Collections – International
- Taipei Fine Arts Museum, China
- Kilty Collection, New York
- Roger Hauert Collection, Paris
- Sir Allen Lane Collections, London
Galleries & Museums – South Africa
- Ann Bryant Art Museum, East London
- Hester Rupert Art Museum, Graaff-Reinet
- Johannesburg Art Gallery
- Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum, Port Elizabeth
- Oliewenhuis Art Museum, Bloemfontein
- Polokwane Art Museum
- Potchefstroom Museum
- Pretoria Art Museum
- Sandton Art Museum
- Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town
- Willem Annandale Art Museum, Lichtenburg
- William Humphreys Art Gallery, Kimberley
Former Provincial Administrations – South Africa
- Cape Provincial Administration
- Provincial Administration of the Orange Free State
- Transvaal Provincial Administration
Former Town Councils – South Africa
- Alberton Town Council
- Kempton Park Town Council
- Krugersdorp Town Council
- Randfontein Town Council
- Rustenburg Town Council
- Sasolburg Town Council
- Springs Town Council
Government Departments
- Department of Foreign Affairs:
- South African Embassy, Helsinki, Finland
- South African Embassy, Athens, Greece
- South African Embassy, Brussels, Belgium
- South African Embassy, Lilongwe, Malawi
- South African Embassy, London, England
- South African Embassy, Tel Aviv, Israel
- South African Embassy, Washington, USA
- South African Embassy, Vienna, Austria
- South African Consulate-General, Lima, Peru
- South African Consulate-General, Tokyo, Japan
- Former Department of Health
- Former Department of National Education
- Former Department of Defence: South African Navy
Universities – South Africa
- North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus)
- University of the Free State
- University of Pretoria
- University of Stellenbosch
- University of South Africa
- University of the Western Cape
- University of Durban – Westville
- University of the Witwatersrand
- University of Johannesburg
Colleges of Education and Schools – South Africa
- Afrikaanse Hoër Meisieskool, Pretoria
- Afrikaanse Hoër Seunskool, Pretoria
- Christelike Hoër Meisieskool Oranje, Bloemfontein
- Glenmore Eco Centre, KwaZulu-Natal
- Hoër Volkskool, Potchefstroom
- Hoërskool Ermelo
- Hoërskool Rustenburg
- Pretoria High School for Girls
- Pretoriase Onderwyskollege
Public Collections – South Africa
- Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria
- Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria
- O. R. Tambo International Airport
- South African Academy for Science and Arts, Pretoria
- State Theatre Collection, Pretoria
Corporate Collections – South Africa
- ABSA Bank Collection, Johannesburg
- Cullinan Refractories Limited, Olifantsfontein
- Development Bank of Southern Africa, Johannesburg
- Fedfood Limited, Isando
- Nedbank Art Collection, Johannesburg
- Pretoria Eye Institute Art Collection
- Rupert Art Foundation, Stellenbosch
- Samro Collection, Johannesburg
- Sanlam Collection, Bellville
- Sasol Art Collection, Johannesburg
- Schlepp Holdings Inc, Johannesburg
- Schlesinger Collection, Johannesburg
- South African Breweries, Johannesburg
- South African Broadcasting Corporation, Johannesburg
- South African Reserve Bank, Pretoria and Cape Town
- Syferfontein Mine, Secunda
Featured Artwork
