Gallery
Bushman rock art across the seven seas, attests to palaeolithic painters navigating the diaphanous rock surface with articulate paintbrushes, encountering and describing revelations along the way. The Oldest Masters, they are the patriarchs of eons of art history, and creators of the longest-surviving visual art in the world.
The Bushman’s approach to rock art, though veiled in mystery, is the common inheritance of domesticated peoples who fell from Eden, whose art still reflects a memory of Paradise. With paintbrush, chisel or hand, humans continue to express and commune with the divine through visual creations. And so Art History tells us a remarkable, elliptical story of people’s experience in and of the world. It is the oldest form of documented History, apparently.
With so many strata of art gems embedded in the veiled recesses of magical time, your point of entry into the art world can only ever be right now! Consider: why are the world’s major art movements, though so different from each other, all special in their own way? The answer is simple but deep: History is always new!
Should you wish to purchase an artwork exhibited hereunder, or request a commission from an artist, kindly contact us at zenolympiad@gmail.com. Kindly note that prices for artworks include framing but do not include delivery costs.
Visual Artists
- Frederik van Bart
- Etienne van Bart
- Akanyang Moloi
- Lethlogonolo Mothlaping
- Katlego Mohapi
- Onnalena Sharon Kedige
- Tshireletso X
1. Frederik van Bart
Old master
young as a fox
What dost thou not see
In thine imperfect clarity?
2. Etienne van Bart
The first traditional artform I ever practised ”deliberately” was visual art. As a child I showed a marked interest in drawing and painting, which my parents very much encouraged. My father Frederik is himself an artist, and when we went as a family to the seaside or the bushveld, I joined him while he painted his remarkable watercolour landscapes, producing my own youthful efforts alongside him.
I continued to draw and paint throughout my childhood and teenage years, and took art as a subject at school. In my mid-twenties I left Cape Town in search of vocational adventures in the rural hinterland of South Africa, and settled in the Groot Marico bushveld – an art lover’s paradise – where I was resident artist at the Herman Charles Bosman Living Museum for six years. It was during this period that I explored the art of watercolour painting in the footsteps of my father, going deep into the mountain bush on painting-hiking expeditions. I also did numerous charcoal studies in those years.
Upon returning to my family home in Redelinghuys, Western Cape, my Marico watercolours were readily accepted for exhibition by local galleries such as the Sandveld Gallery in Redelinghuys, and the Old Village Art Gallery in Citrusdal. Since then I have been producing more art than ever, spurred on by various local art projects, classes and movements.
The artworks featured hereunder are an exhibition of my adult expressions since circa 2018. My younger works will in due course be archived in the Bookshelf Section in ebook form. Artworks for sale here are indicated as such.
Christopher of Piket-bo-berg (2025; Enamel Paint dripped on paper, A3 size, R3000 framed)
3. Akanyang Patrick Moloi
Akanyang is an artist from Groot Marico, North West Province. He studied art at the Herman Charles Bosman Museum with Etienne van Bart, and joined Etienne on numerous painting-hiking excursions into the mountainside during the years of their association. He was Etienne’s housekeeper for two years when the latter was teaching English in Zeerust. Akanyang is also a long-standing member of the H.C. Bosman Marimba Band.
4. Lethlogonolo Mothlaping (Thlogi)
Lethlogonolo is an artist from Groot Marico, North West Province. He studied art at the Herman Charles Bosman Museum under Etienne van Bart, and joined Etienne on numerous painting-hiking excursions into the mountainside during the years of their association. ”Thlogi” was also an integral member of Etienne’s tennis, poetry and chess classes in Marico.
5. Katlego Mohapi
Katlego is an artist from Groot Marico, North West Province. He worked extensively with Etienne at the Bosman Museum as the lead musician of the Tswana traditional group ”Return of the Moon” from 2018 – Onwards. He also once upon a time produced the lovely self-portrait featured below.
6. Onnalena Sharon Kedige
Onnalenna Kedige is an artist from Groot Marico. She was a student artist at the H.C. Bosman Museum for several years, working with other learners under the tutelage of Etienne van Bart. She is also a long-standing member of the H.C. Bosman Marimba Band.
Chagalesque Complementaries (2018) (Acrylic on A3 Paper; R3450 reframed)
6. Tshireletso X
Tshireletso X joined Etienne’s art class in the final year of the latter’s sojourn in Groot Marico. Tshire immediately impressed Etienne with his natural drawing ability. We look forward to more from this young man currently completing high school.
The Zen Olympiad 