Strauss & co - 26 - 28 July 2020, Online

111 286 Robert Hodgins SOUTH AFRICAN 1920–2010 New Orleans Dandy, two 2013 (1) signed, dated 2005 and inscribed with the title; (2) inscribed with the artist’s name, the title and numbered 1/1 on a label stitched to the reverse (1) collage on paper; (2) carded, spun and dyed mohair on polycotton warp (1) 81 by 55 cm (2) 276 by 220 cm R250 000 – 350 000 ‘Robert Hodgins was one of the artists introduced to Mags Stephens by Linda Goodman, with whom she worked closely for many years. “We both had such fun working on this project, because Robert would come into the studio, grab a piece of polystyrene, rummage through the needlework baskets, and start cutting up pieces of fabric – batik, felt and upholstery, ribbon – and pin them on the polystyrene, creating the designs for the tapestries based on his works. Imagine having to weave a design made of textile in the very tactile medium of mohair, and having to make it look like the representation of a textile as well! What Hodgins particularly liked about tapestry, was the effects one could get by mixing or blending two strong colours in one weft. The colours bleed into each other: one yellow and two red threads, or two yellow and one red, made for very interesting lines. He said it was an effect that was impossible to get from oil paint.’Mags remembers that Hodgins insisted on being present at the cutting off of his first tapestry. He invited all his friends to celebrate the occasion with him, including William Kentridge and Deborah Bell. And that is how Mags started her long collaboration with Kentridge. What makes Mags such a masterful tapestry weaver is her ability to interpret the vision of the artist expertly, and translate it into a tactile medium with a phenomenal result.’ 1 1 . Wilhelm van Rensburg (2015) Textured Translations: The Stephens Tapestry Studio , Johannesburg: Art on Paper gallery, pages 6 and 7. EXHIBITED Art on Paper gallery, Johannesburg, Textured Translations: The Stephens Tapestry Studio, 14 March to 11 April 2015. LITERATURE Wilhelm van Rensburg (2015) Textured Translations: The Stephens Tapestry Studio, Johannesburg: Art on Paper gallery, illustrated in colour on the cover, and on pages 17 and 49 (the design and the cartoon of the tapestry). ITEM NOTES The framed work on paper by Hodgins is the original design for the larger scale tapestry produced by the Stephens Tapestry Studio. A label stitched to the reverse of the tapestry is signed by Marguerite Stephens and inscribed ‘New Orleans Dandy; Artist: Robert Hodgins; Woven in the Stephens Tapestry Studio; Weavers: Tibonele Vilakati, Prudence Dlamini and Ncobi Zikalala; Directed by Marguerite Stephens; Edition 1/1; unsigned work by RG Hodgins’. DESIGN FORTAPESTRY TAPESTRY