HEKKIE MOOS: RETROSPECTIVE Prince Albert Gallery 11 May to 18 July 2022 Written by Elza Miles www.princealbertgallery.co.za
Young Girl, 1991, oil pastel, 170mm x 205mm
Above: Annunciation, 1996 - powder pastel, 405mm x 405mm Opposite Page: Young Couple, 1975 - oil pastel, 315mm x 430mm
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he Prince Albert Gallery celebrates its 20th anniversary by honouring the late Hekkie Moos. Who was “Meester” Hekkie Moos? He (born in Oudtshoorn on 16 January 1940 - died in the Prince Albert Hospital on 15 December 2020), taught English and Art at the Prince Albert Primary School in North End, he created art in which the Mother archetype dominates, he was also choir master of the Dutch Reformed Church in North End. During the week he taught, produced art and on Sundays, clad in his black gown positioned himself in front of the choir then raised the tuning fork and divine music followed. When he was free of his duties, he captured images of women and children, usually girls, not only on quality paper but any odd piece of scrap such as cash slips and bottoms of cigarette boxes. With ‘tuning forks’: his Bic pens, pencils, pastels, charcoal, conté crayons, paint brushes, even his wife’s eye shadow, rouge, lipstick; he made music for the eye. Deeply devout, his obsessive
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accumulating pieces of throwaway paper, recalls the Lord’s command: “Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost” (St John 6:12). At the beginning of his career, Moos made a study of Impressionism and Post Impressionism. Eventually the impact of Expressionism took over and the art of Edvard Munch (1863-1944) appealed to him. Consequently, one of the most fascinating discourses ensued in South African art. The Young Couple by Moos of the Karoo interacts with The Kiss and Vampire by Munch of Norway. Sensitively Moos captures the intimacy between two teenagers, showing the boy in profile and the girl en face. Their eyes are closed, shutting out their surroundings. Their intimacy recalls both abovementioned pieces by Munch. Moos fits the boy’s profile into the oval of the girl’s impassive face. Similar to the Vampire she absorbs her partner and an aspect of the archetypal great mother manifests itself.
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