The Guardian -
7 February 2003
A set of 20 lithographs will go on sale today. At $2,600 to $3,000 per copy,
they may seem a little expensive for simple line drawings shaded with blocks of
colour.
But their subject is the notorious former apartheid prison Robben Island, and
the artist is Nelson Mandela.
An exhibition of Mr Mandela's new artwork opens at the island today: it is
the second series of charcoal and pastel drawings of his prison home of 18 years.
They First appeared at London's Belgravia Gallery last year.
The former South African president, who shared the 1993 Nobel Peace prize for
his campaign to end Whites-only rule, was tutored by the 26-year-old Cape Town
artist Varenke Paschke in the run-up to the exhibition.
Paschke said her celebrity student was "very keen". "His work is straight down
the line, no frills" she said. She described Mr Mandela's home as relaxed, with
friends such .s his fellow former inmate Tokyo Sexwale and U2's singer Bono dropping
in during lessons.
The new series cements Mandela's stature as a blossoming artist, despite being
in his 85th year, as well as a best- selling author, internationally respected
statesman and anti-war campaigner.
Last week he lambasted the prime minister, Tony Blair, for being foreign minister
of the United States' He is expected to sign as many as 250 prints an hour, which
will go on sale in order lo raise money for his charitable foundation. Oprah Winfrey
is one of the collectors of his work.
Mr Mandela has said of hi s artwork: "I have attempted to colour the island
sketches in ways that reflect the positive light in which I view it... to project
the idea that even the most fantastic of dreams can be achieved if we arc prepared
to endure life's challenges."
