Peter Pharoah is a South African artist who is deeply passionate about depicting scenes from Africa in his work. He finds inspiration in every aspect of the African landscape and seeks to capture the spirit and energy of the continent through bold brushstrokes and powerful compositions in his paintings. Pharoah views Africa as his "elixir" and feels the need to immerse himself in its beauty. While he depicts the natural beauty of Africa, he also finds inspiration in more challenging scenes like the aftermath of veld fires. Pharoah's work provides insights into both the tenderness and ruthlessness of the African experience.

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ALoveAffair
withAfrica
Speed, oil on canvas, 2 panels of 115 x 115cm, 2014

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P
assion. It’s perhaps the single
most striking element of
Peter Pharoah’s work, and
it mesmerises and enthrals
me. Bold brushstrokes fuse
with powerful composition in
dynamic, colourful energy as the spirit of a
continent is brought to life. “Passion drives
you to take risks, to step out of your comfort
zone. It’s the most vital element in creating a
work of art,” explains Pharoah.
Pharoah is in love with Africa, and it
shows. He finds inspiration in every aspect
of its being. “Africa is my elixir; I yearn to be
immersed in its beauty. Its colours, textures
and moods, the heat, the dust, the smells,
the people, the animals, the bush. The
African landscape provides a multitude of
stories – an opportunity to experience a
life of adventure, romance and discovery
in a landscape of memories where one can
savour the graceful beauty of the African
wildlife and the majesty of an African
sunrise.” Pharoah’s depictions are, however,
not limited to the beautiful, and he explains
that even the charred aftermath of a veld fire
can be a source of inspiration for him.
A key fascination in Pharoah’s work is
the contrast between tenderness and
ruthlessness in his subject matter. It is why
many of his pieces feature African women.
“Their faces convey honesty, and a sense of
inner strength and endurance,” he muses,
adding that portraits challenge him to find
newwaystoapproachaconcepthe’sexplored
before. “It’s one of the most important, yet
frustrating learning experiences, and is vital
to an artist’s personal development.”
I ask how he manages to part with the
creations into which he has poured his soul,
and whether there is a particular piece he
favours. “The most recent painting always
has to be my favourite, otherwise it never
leaves my studio,” he laughs. “But every
now and then, there are ‘more’ favourite
ones. These are usually the ones that break
the biggest ground in a new direction. The
ones that create floods of new inspiration to
expand on and search for a fresh approach
to continue in a new direction. It is these
paintings that make me want to go back into
the studio and splash paint onto the canvas.”
His process is intricate, and he explains
that the best inspiration in the world
means little without proper composition.
“If the composition is flawed at the
outset, no matter how well you execute
the brushstrokes, it will never work. The
viewer will pick up on it and the work will
appear unbalanced.”
Pharoah’s explanation of the intersection
of composition, subject matter, focal point,
colour and the principles of design reveals
an experienced artist with considerable
knowledge of the fine arts, despite his
claim that he was “rotten” at art history. He
attended Kearsney College in KwaZulu-
Natal, where he won many awards for his art,
including the prestigious Natal Art Award

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Text: Dominique du Plessis
Images © Peter Pharoah Art Gallery
and the Grahamstown Art Festival Award.
He went on to study art and graphic design
at the Witwatersrand Technikon, where he
was awarded further accolades, and later
worked as an art director and illustrator in the
advertising industry.
“I always had a talent for art, but I believed I
was going to be a pilot. My parents said there
wasn’t a living to be made from fine art. I did
my degree, and after spending some time in
the advertising industry in Johannesburg, I
found myself in Wilderness in the Southern
Cape. With no other means of making a living
and with a young family to support, I began
my career as an artist. Fine art has been very
good to me. I am very lucky,” he says.
Pharoah’s work is magnificently rich in
experience,thecoloursandtexturesdancing
inbrilliantvibrancyacrossthecanvastoevoke
an immersion into Africa, its pride and power
captured in a penetrating gaze or the energy
of its creatures. Yet within this undaunted
expression there is a softness, a beauty that
speakstothesoul.IknowwhichpieceIadmire
most, and I wonder, with so many from which
to choose, which Pharoah considers his
greatest achievement. “As an artist, I would
say one’s greatest achievement is capturing
the imagination of people who say that they
don’t really appreciate or enjoy art, whether
it’s abstract, realism, or a subject to which
they don’t feel a connection. I consider every
painting I do to be my greatest achievement
to date.” The viewer is important to Pharoah,
and he explains that his or her experience of
the artwork completes the picture. “I like to
suggest a mood or a feeling as simply and
honestly as possible. I leave a certain amount
up to the viewers’ imagination, only giving
them subtle hints or clues along the way.”
Pharoah is extraordinarily humble
about his work, especially considering it is
covetedbycorporateandprivatecollectors
around the globe. Locally, you can find it
at Red! The Gallery, Eclectica Modern in
Cape Town, and the Peter Pharoah Art
Gallery in Wilderness. “Each new artwork
is just another step along the road, an
opportunity to reinvent yourself, to try a
new approach, to explore new techniques
and experiment with new aspects of the
creative process. Perfection is an illusion
that will consume you if you allow it.”
For more information call +27 76 976
2629, email gallery@peterpharoah.com or
visit www.peterpharoah.com.