Twee Britse vroue, Marcelle Piltan en Sydney Stent, wat lede van die Society of Pretoria Artists was, het in 1911 die voortou geneem om ‘n kunsgroep, wat hulleself “The Individualists” genoem het, bymekaar te bring. Pierneef was deel van die groep van agt kunstenaars. Hul eerste uitstalling is tussen 20 en 22 November 1911 in die Pretoriase Stadsaal, Pretoriusstraat aangebied.

Altesaam het die agt kunstenaars 224 werke uitgestal, waarvan Pierneef en Madge Cook, een van die lede, elk 45 werke aangebied het. Pierneef se werke het bestaan uit 14 olieverfskilderye, 7 pastelwerke, 9 etse, 5 potlood- en 3 kryttekeninge asook ‘n waterverfskildery. Sy eerste selfportret in kryt is ook vertoon.

Die Pretoria News van 23 November 1911 het baie gunstig oor die uitstalling berig en gemeld hoe goed dit bygewoon is. Veral Pierneef se werk het die aandag getrek.  ‘n Opmerking in die Pretoria News: “The most striking feature of the exhibition was the impressionistic work by J H Pierneef.”

Verdere gunstige resensies in Die Volkstem en The Rand Daily Mail het Pierneef se naam aansien in die kunswêreld gegee. Die verskillende mediums waarin hy gewerk het, is belig en die temas van sy latere werk is voorgestel. Koerantonderhoude wat met hom gevoer is, het hom ook as persoon verder op die voorgrond geplaas.

Na die suksesvolle verloop van die eerste uitstalling het die groep Dinsdagaande gereeld byeengekom om te teken en oor kuns te praat. Dit het Pierneef die selfvertroue gegee om twee sketse uit te stal met die eerste uitstalling van die “Guild of South African Artists” wat in November in Johannesburg aangebied is.

“The Individualists” het hulle tweede tentoonstelling op 29 Julie 1912 in die Pretoriase Stadsaal aangebied. Intussen het drie nuwe lede bygekom. Weer eens het die kunsresensent Vere Stent van die Pretoria News Pierneef se werk vir spesiale lof uitgesonder.

Van die groep, waarvan Pieter Wenning die bekendste kunstenaar was, was dit veral Pierneef wat erkenning vir sy werk ontvang het. Pierneef se betrokkenheid by die hoofsaaklik Engelse groep kunstenaars het ‘n vormende invloed op hom gehad. Dit was vir hom ‘n stimulerende artistieke omgewing wat ook vorentoe geleenthede geskep het vir internasionale deelname binne die Statebond, wat in 1910 tot stand gekom het.

“The Individualists” as groep het in 1913 uitmekaargegaan op grond van “the individual nature” van die lede. Hoewel “The Individualists” geen noemenswaardige invloed op die Suid-Afrikaanse kuns in die algemeen gehad het nie kan die invloed wat dit op Pierneef se ontwikkeling as kunstenaar gehad het nie onderskat word nie. Dit was die stimulerende kontak, die aanmoediging en lof wat hy op die groep se uitstallings ervaar het, wat hom as kunstenaar op die voorgrond help plaas het.

Two British women, Marcelle Piltan and Sydney Stent, who were members of the Society of Pretoria Artists, took the lead in 1911 to establish an art group who named themselves “The Individualists”. Pierneef was part of the group of eight artists. Their first exhibition was held from 20 to 22 November 1911 in the Pretoria City Hall in Pretorius Street.

In total, the eight artists exhibited 224 works. Pierneef and Madge Cook, one of the members, each had 45 works on display. Pierneef’s work included 14 oils, a water-colour, 7 pastels, 9 etchings, 5 pencil drawings and 3 chalk sketches. His first self-portrait in chalk was also exhibited.

The Pretoria News of 23 November 1911 reported very favourably on the exhibition and referred to the good attendance. Especially Pierneef’s work attracted the attention, and the Pretoria News remarked: “The most striking feature of the exhibition was the impressionistic work by J H Pierneef”.

Further favourable reviews in Die Volkstem and The Rand Daily Mail supported Pierneef’s name in the world of art. The various mediums in which he worked were highlighted and the themes of his later work were introduced. Newspaper interviews further cast a light on his name. 

After the success of the first exhibition the group gathered regularly on Tuesday evenings to sketch and to discuss art. This gave Pierneef the confidence to present two sketches for the first exhibition of the “Guild of South African Artists”, presented in Johannesburg during November 1911.

“The Individualists” held their second exhibition on 29 July 1912, once again in the Pretoria City Hall. In the meantime, three new members joined the group. Once again, Pierneef’s work was highlighted, by the art reviewer Vere Stent of the Pretoria News.

Of the group, of which Pieter Wenning was the most famous artist, Pierneef received the most acclaim and attention of all. Pierneef’s involvement with this group, with its mostly English-speaking members, had a forming influence on him. It was a stimulating and artistic environment that also presented him with future opportunities to be part of international exhibitions within the Commonwealth, established in 1910.

In 1913, the group disintegrated, due to the “individual nature” of the members. Even though “The Individualists” had no noteworthy influence on South African art, the influence it had on Pierneef’s development as an artist should not be underestimated. It was the stimulating contact, encouragement and praise he received at group exhibitions that contributed to his fame.  

Teks / Text: Amanda Botha

Die katalogus van “The Individualists´ se eerste uitstalling, in 1911, het afbeeldings van twee etse met die titel Bloekombome / Blue Gums (nr. 177 & 178) bevat. Daar word gemeen dat dit eintlik linosneë was en verkeerdelik as etse aangedui is. Indien dit die geval was, was die twee linosneë die eerste wat deur Pierneef uitgestal is. The catalogue of he first exhibition of “The Individualists”, in 1911, featured two etchings entitled Blue Gums / Bloekombome (no 177 & 178). These are believed to have been linocuts, incorrectly listed as etchings. If this was the case, the two linocuts were the first to be exhibited by Pierneef.  

Bron / Source

De Kamper, G & De Klerk, C. 2014. Pierneef in Print. Dream Africa: Limpopo. p.126-127.