(1949 – )
Norman Clive Catherine
Contemporary
Overview

Norman Catherine was born in East London, South Africa, in September 1949. His vast body of work ranges from painting, sculpture, printmaking, and mixed media. In 1973, he collaborated with iconic South African artist Walter Battiss on the Fook Island concept. In 1969, he held his first solo exhibition consisting of oil paintings on wood, bone, wire, and an assortment of found objects.

His art has since undergone several metamorphoses, from the pristine airbrush paintings of the 70s to the frenzied, ritualistic mixed media works of the early and mid-80s; the wire sculptures and tin can works of the late 80s; and the primitive-futuristic paintings of the early 90s, which provided the seeds for his pre-millennial menagerie of anthropomorphic beasts. In the thirty years spanning his past and present output, Catherine’s visual trademarks have included rough-edged comical and nightmarish forms rendered in brash cartoon colours. His idiosyncratic vision – a combination of dark cynicism and exuberant humour, as well as his innovative use of everyday materials—has secured his place at the forefront of South African contemporary art.

Chronology
1949

Born 30 September, in East London, South Africa

1967 – 1968

Studied at East London Technical College Art School

1970 – 1971

Worked as a commercial artist in Johannesburg

1972

Became full-time fine artist

1973

Began participation with Prof. Walter Battiss on the Fook Island Project

1975

Began building home, Fook Manor, at Hartbeespoort Dam designed by Stanley Saitowitz

1981

Worked for R.O. Blechman, New York on animation project, Stravinsky’s “La Histoire du Soldat”

1984 – 1985

Spent a year in New York & Los Angeles

1995

Graphic Novel, The Legend of Memo the Hierophant, created with Allan Cameron, published by Orion Books, UK

1999

Married Janet Walker after 33 years together

2000

Monograph: ‘Norman Catherine’ published by Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg

Exhibitions

2023

Sunny Side Up, Group exhibition, Graham Contemporary, Johannesburg, South Africa

2022

New Day, Group exhibition, Graham Contemporary, Johannesburg, South Africa

2013

Incognito, Circa Gallery, Johannesburg

2006

Dualities, Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg

Now & ThenRetrospective, Johannesburg Art Gallery

2005

Now & ThenRetrospective, Polokwane Art Gallery

Now & ThenRetrospective, Durban Art Gallery

Now & ThenRetrospective, Nelson Mandela Metro Art Gallery, Port Elizabeth

Now & ThenRetrospective, Stellenbosch Art Gallery

2004

Urban Mutations, Moba Art Gallery, Brussels

Now & ThenRetrospective, Oliewenhuis Art Museum, Bloemfontein

Now & ThenRetrospective, Pretoria Art Museum

2002

Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg

2000

Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg

1995

Espace XL, Luxembourg

1994

Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg

1993

Spot-On Gallery, Windhoek, Namibia

1991

Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg

1987

Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg

1986

Area-X Gallery, New York, USA

Gallery 21, Johannesburg (100 works from Pelmama Collection)

SA Association of Arts, Pretoria

Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg (Fook Island – Walter Battiss Commemoration Exhibition)

1985

Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg

1984

SA Association of Arts, Windhoek, Namibia

1982

Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg

Gowlett Gallery, Cape Town

1980

Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg

1979

Rand Afrikaans University, Johannesburg (Retrospective exhibition 1969-1979)

1978

Kunsthandel SIAU, Amsterdam, Holland

Gallery 21, Johannesburg

1977

No 13 Abel Road Gallery, Johannesburg

1976

Gallery 21, Johannesburg

1974

Goodman-Wolman Gallery, Cape Town

1973

Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg

1672

Goodman Gallery, Johannesburg

1971

NSA Gallery, Durban

1970

Motif Gallery, East London

1969

Herbert Evans Gallery, Johannesburg

Selected Group Exhibitions

2013

It’s New, It’s Now, Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minnesota, USA

2012

Impressions from South Africa: 1965 to Now, Museum of Modern Art, New York, USA

2011

Entre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona, Spain

Water – the [Delicate] Thread of Life, Standard Bank Gallery, Johannesburg

Art Monaco ’11, Grimaldi Forum, Monaco

2010

Translations: Art in Jewellery, Standard Bank, Johannesburg

2007

Local Racism, Global Apartheid, CCCP, Barcelona, Spain

2006

1er Salon d’Art Contemporain Africain, Brussels, Belgium

2004

Identity – The ID of South African Artists Exhibition, Scheveningen, Holland

2003

Art 34, Basel, Switzerland

2002

Natural Born Painters, Galerie W, Paris, France

Passport to South Africa, Centro Culterale Trevi, Bolzano, Italy

L’humour dans i’art contemporain, Espace Belleville, Paris, France

2000

Zeignössische Kunst aus Südafrika, Bayer AG, Leverkussen, Germany

1998

United Nations Portfolio:New York – Artists Salure Gerard Schroeder

1997

Fin de Siecle, Michel Luneau Art Gallery, Nantes, France

South Africa, Kohn Turner Gallery, Los Angeles, USA

1996

Colours, Zeignössische Kunst aus Südafrika, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Germany

Art 27 ’96, Basel, Switzerland

Simunye, Adelson Galleries, New York, USA

Chicago Art Fair, Chicago, USA (May)

Common and Uncommon Ground, Atlanta, USA

Eight from South Africa, Centre of the Arts, Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco, USA

Modern Konst i Afrika, MalmöKonsthall, Malmö, Sweden

1995

USA (Dallas, Atlanta, Detroit and Wilberforce, Ohio)

Panoramas of Passage: Changing Landscapes of South Africa, Meridian Cafritz Galleries, Washington, Touring

Kunsthal, Rotterdam, Netherlands

Mayibuye i Afrika, Bernard Jacobson Gallery, London, UK

On the Road, Delfina Studio Trust Gallery, London, UK

Seven Stories About Modern Art in Africa, Whitechapel Art Gallery, London, UK

1994

In Full Color, Les Sacks Fine Art, Los Angeles, USA

Cuban Biennial, Havana, Cuba

Ludwig Forum, Aachen, German

1993

Graphica Creativa, Jyvaskyla, Finland

Venice Beinnial, Venice, Italy

1991

AA Life Vita Art Exhibition, Johannesburg

1990 – 1991

Art from South Afrikca, Zabalaza Festival, Oxford Museum, Oxford, UK (Touring Exhibition)

1990

Voices from South Africa, Contemporary Art against Apartheid, Stuart Levy Gallery, New York, USA

1989

Art 20 ’89, Basel, Switzerland

1987

Art 18 ’87, Basel, Switzerland

1986

Pictures of People, Area-X Gallery, New York, USA

1985

Tributaries Exhibition, Johannesburg and Germany (BMW-sponsored Touring Exhibition)

Soker-Kaseman Gallery, San Francisco, USA

1981

Defense Art Gallery, Paris, France

Art EXPO, Los Angeles, USA

Art EXPO, Sand Francisco, USA

1975

Art 6 ’75, Basel, Switzerland

1973

Galerie Daniel Gervis, Paris, France

1972

Galleria d’Arte L’Orizonte, Senigallia, Italy

Collections

Public Collections– South Africa

  • Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town
  • Johannesburg Municipal Art Gallery, Johannesburg
  • Pretoria Art Museum, Pretoria
  • Durban Art Gallery, Durban
  • Ann Bryant Art Gallery, East London
  • Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum, Port Elizabeth
  • Sandton Municipality Art Gallery, Sandton
  • Oliwenhuis Art Museum, Bloemfontein
  • Pelmama Permanent Art Collection, Bloemfontein
  • Walter Battiss Museum, Somerset East
  • University of South Africa, Pretoria
  • Rand Afrikaans University, Johannesburg
  • University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
  • University of Natal, Durban
  • Roodepoort Public Library, Roodepoort
  • Department of National Education
  • Carnegie Art Gallery, Newcastle
  • Gauteng Legislature, Johannesburg
  • Tatham Art Gallery, Pietermaritzburg
  • Constitutional Court of SA, Johannesburg
  • Reserve Bank of South Africa

Public Collections– International

Public Collection – Switzerland

  • The Haenggi Foundation Inc., Switzerland

Public Collection – United States of America

  • Museums of Modern Art, New York, USA (MoMA)

Public Collection – United Kingdom

  • Minneapolis Institute of Arts, Minnesota, UK

Public Collection – United States of America

  • Brooklyn Museum, New York, USA

Corporate Collections– South Africa

  • Standard Bank, Johannesburg
  • Sasol Art Collection
  • Bankorp, Johannesburg
  • World Bank, Johannesburg
  • BHP Billiton, Johannesburg
  • Telkom, Johannesburg
  • Absa Bank, Johannesburg
  • Saronsberg Wine Estate Collection, Tulbagh
  • Vodacom, Cape Town
  • Sanlam Ltd., Bellville
  • Mobil Court Art Collection, Cape Town
  • Everite Ltd, Johannesburg
  • Premier Group, Johannesburg
  • Union Bank of Switzerland, Sandton

Corporate Collections – International

Corporate Collection – Switzerland

  • World Economic Forum, Davos, Switzerland

Corporate Collection – United States of America

  • Chase Manhattan Bank, New York, USA

Corporate Collection – Portugal

  • Berardo Foundation, Portugal

Corporate Collection – Holland

  • Fortis Circustheatre, Scheveningen, Holland
Featured Artwork
  • Norman Clive Catherine
    Catwalk

    Oil on Canvas
    90 x 120cm
    Signed: “N. Catherine” (Lower/Left)
    Dated: 2013

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  • Norman Clive Catherine
    Watchman

    Oil on Fibreglass
    170 x 68 x 27cm (excl. base)
    201.5 x 68 x 27cm (incl. base)
    Signed: “N. Catherine” (Rear Right Foot)
    Dated: 2010

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  • Norman Clive Catherine
    Yellow Payola Monster

    Oil on Fibreglass
    237 x 120 x 30cm (excl. base)
    Dated: 2009

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  • Norman Clive Catherine
    Omega Travel

    Oil and Multi-Media Metal
    120 x 77cm
    Signed: “N. Catherine” (Rear Lower/Left)
    Dated: 2012

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