Etchings and Aquatints from the Campbell Smith Collection
The Art and Craft Centre at Rorke’s Drift began as a Swedish mission self-help centre, teaching skills such as weaving to impoverished rural women living in KwaZulu-Natal, but founder Peder Gowenius opened an art school in 1968, attracting students country-wide. The teachers, many from Europe and the United States, offered a wide range of media, with printmaking favoured because it produced multiples for sale.
Although best-known for linocuts, which students could continue to make without expensive equipment after returning home, Rorke’s Drift also taught other print processes, particularly etching and aquatint. Already having made etchings in Sweden, Azaria Mbatha was probably among the first to use the etching press set up by Ola Granath in 1967 before the school opened. Dan Rakgoathe only rarely took the opportunity to translate his dynamically cut surfaces into this medium, but John Muafangejo kept returning to Rorke’s Drift to re-conceive his distinctive linocut narratives as etchings. Others succeeded in acquiring presses. Cyprian Shilakoe obtained one through teacher Otto Lundbohm, and produced etchings throughout his short career, his method of painting acid onto his etching plates creating highly emotive images. His press was later acquired by Eric Mbatha, who explored a similarly evocative tonal approach, as did Vuminkosi Zulu. Zulu’s press was sold on to Judus Mahlangu, who developed ‘false mezzotints’ by burnishing back into aquatint surfaces.
The face of Africa/man and animals / the man (1966)Etching and aquatint on paper.
33 x 24.5 cm edition 5/100”>
Figure(1966)Etching and aquatint on paper.
32.5 x 24.5 cm edition 15/100”>
Inspiration from Koko (1970) Etching, aquatint on woven paper.
30.5 x 21.2 cm edition 5/45”>
Loneliness (1971)Etching and aquatint on paper.
30 x 21.5 cm”>
The birth of Christ (1969)Etching and aquatint on paper.
40 x 31 cm”>
Bishop (1969)Etching and aquatint on paper.
51.5 x 39 cm signed and dated”>
Holy communion (1974) Etching and aquatint on paper.
25.3 x 30.4 cm edition 5/10”>
Hunter man (1969) Etching 29.2 x 28 cm edition 10/50”>
The last supper (1971)Etching and aquatint on paper.
26.5 x 40 cm edition 8/15”>
A sacrament for the last supper Etching and aquatint on paper.
19.8 x 27.8 cm”>
We are leaving (1969) Etching and aquatint on paper.
27.8 x 21.1 cm edition 26/35”>
The gate is closed (1969) Etching and aquatint on paper.
23 x 27.5 cm edition 12/25”>
The widow (1969)Etching and aquatint on paper.
31 x 30 cm edition 11/15”>
A herd boy (1974) Etching and aquatint on paper.
26.4 x 32.6 cm edition 10/50”>
The Crucifix (1975) Etching 9/30
43 x 28 cm”>
Buyani Bazaar (1976)Etching on paper.
25.5 x 40 cm edition 5/30”>
Look after goats (1974)Etching on paper.
18.5 x 31 cm edition 2/5”>
Worryman (1974)Etching and aquatint on paper.
22.5 x 22.5 cm edition 2/10 signed and dated”>
Waterfall (1974) Etching and aquatint on paper.
43.7 x 33.5 cm edition 4/50”>
Shooter Birds (1974)Etching and aquatint on paper.
42 x 30.5 cm edition 2/10”>
Boys II (1973)Etching and aquatint on paper.
15 x 11 cm edition 18/25”>
Principal made the hard ground (1974) Etching and aquatint on paper.
23 x 15.5 cm edition 1/10 signed and dated”>
Gossipers (1975)Etching 12/30
26 x 15 cm signed and dated”>
I don’t want birth control (1971)Etching and aquatint on paper.
21 x 30.5 cm edition 6/15”>
We want to see Koko Etching and aquatint on paper.
21 x 30.5 cm edition 6/15”>
Hunger (1969)Etching and aquatint on paper.
28.7 x 28 cm edition 1/10”>
Untitled (1969)Etching and aquatint on paper.
31 x 23 cm trial proof”>
The survivors (1969) Etching and aquatint on paper.
38.5 x 30.5 cm edition 6/30”>
Back home (1970) Etching and aquatint on paper.
36 x 28 cm edition 19/30”>
Initiation ritual Etching and aquatint on paper.
30 x 23 cm edition 5/20”>
We don’t want to see them (1971)Etching and aquatint on paper.
30.5 x 22 cm edition 1/40”>
Please open the gate (1971)Etching and aquatint on paper.
29.5 x 21 cm edition 1/30”>
Etching (1969)Etching and aquatint on paper.
28.5 x 31 cm edition 10/25”>
Untitled (Group of figures)Etching and aquatint on paper.
31.5 x 34.5 cm”>
The fluit [sic] player (1976) Etching and aquatint on paper.
28 x 20 cm artist’s proof”>
Attending the sermon (1974) Etching and aquatint on paper.
43 x 31 cm edition 9/50”>
It’s tough Etching and aquatint on paper.
42 x 30 cm edition 2/50”>
Jesus is feeding 1000 of people Etching and aquatint on paper.
32 x 28.8 cm edition 32/40”>
African queens Etching and aquatint on paper.
34.7 x 30 cm edition 7/12”>
The Family IV (1970) Etching on paper.
42.5 x 29 cm edition 6/30”>
Young ones and the Gods (1971)Etching on paper.
34 x 40 cm edition 6/10”>
The range of works on this exhibition of little-known etchings abundantly affirms the individuality and innovation of Rorke’s Drift printmakers.
Text by Elizabeth Rankin.
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