Christo Coetzee

Art historians are beginning to look anew at the abstract creations of the 50s and 60s and a new awareness of their significance has arisen. In this book the authors bring together a rare collection of the work of Christo Coetzee. Coetzee lived and worked in three continents - Europe, Africa and Asia - is one of South Africa's foremost proponents of the avant-garde style of the period, when artists, especially in the heady flux of post-war London, were actively pushing the bounds of accepted art forms. The book delves into the forces and influences which shaped Coetzee's art, which were many and varied, including the Japanese school, the artwork of Pompeii, and contemporary Italian artists. The fifty canvases acquired by Deon Viljoen in Britain and France have been stored away for decades by the prestigious Parisian art dealer, Rodolphe Stadler, and the widow of Coetzee's mentor, Andrew Denney. The publication shows a fine selection of pieces by Coetzee, in 45 colour plates. It also details Coetzee's life during his London and Paris periods, as well as exploring the influences of the people he met and worked with during this time.