Lucas Thusho SEAGE
1956 - 2009
Paintings, assemblages, drawings
Lucas SEAGE in 1981
Brief C.V.
Lucas SEAGE, born in Johannesburg (Newclare) on 2nd November, 1956, died on 3rd November, 2009, near the Botswana border. A Tswana national, he moved in 1958 with his parents to Soweto.
He started drawing at age of 11 using pencil and oil pastel his parents had bought. In 1973, he passed Form II at Barolong High School, Gaborone, Botswana, in 1975 he moved back to Johannesburg. In 1976 he attended the Damelin College, Johannesburg, studying for Form III which he did not finish.
In 1976, he studied general art (painting, sculpture, basic art history) at the Mofolo Art Centre, Soweto, then run by Cyril Kumalo (Temba Cyril Mokhethi-Kumalo), in 1977 he studied general art at the Open School, Johannesburg, under Nat Mokgosi.
During 1978/1980, he studied painting, sculpture, basic art history at the Johannesburg Art Foundation under Bill Ainslie, Ricky Burnett and Jenny Stadler. There he was introduced to the Dada and Surrealist art movements.
During 1981/1982, after a brief introduction in media at the "Freie Universität" FU (Hediger) in Berlin, he began his studies at the Düsseldorf Academy, Germany, under Joseph Beuys and Prof. Klaus Rinker, the bursary being the 1st prize he had won in a national art competition in South Africa. He cut short his studies due to ill health. In December, 1982, he applied for a USA scholarship for drama and theatre but did not follow through.
During 1987, Lucas Seage designed and built sets for local and national film companies; in 1988 he established an interior and design consulting agency in Soweto to promote and educate local artists.
In about 2004 he left Johannesburg for Durban to begin training as herbalist with local sangomas and other spiritual leaders in Zululand
In 2007 he was living in a small town close to Botswana, making expeditionary trips to spiritual healers in different parts of Botswana.
2009 Lucas Seage died from complications associated with a diabetic condition acquired in recent years. He is survived by his son Herman Obusitswe Seage.
EXHIBITIONS and COMPETITIONS
1980
1st Solo show at the Market Theatre Gallery, Johannesburg (“Internal Affairs”) (October)
1981
One of “Five Transvaal artists” (Group show) at Gowlett Gallery, Cape Town – August, 1981 (collages + 2 assemblages)
1981
Won 1st overall prize for sculpture at The Haenggi Foundation National Art Competition 1981, Johannesburg, enabling him to take up a 2-year Konrad Adenauer Foundation bursary at the Düsseldorf Academy in Germany.
Lucas SEAGE with his 4 works submitted for the national competition. The bed was the prize-winning entry (click on image © for a better view)!
1983
Market Theatre Gallery, Johannesburg (May) - 2nd Solo show
1983
Included in The Haenggi Foundation Inc., Johannesburg (PELMAMA Permanent Art Collection) - Group exhibition
1986
Included in Gallery 21, Johannesburg (Contemporary African Art from the PELMAMA Permanent Art Collection)
1988
Included in Johannesburg Art Gallery, Johannesburg - The Neglected Tradition: Towards a New History of SA Art (1930-1988)
1990
Gallery “Passe Par Tout”, Rosebank, Johannesburg (March) (“Metamorphosis”) - 3rd Solo show (pastel drawings)
1990/1991
Included in “Art from South Africa” touring exhibition in England, organized by MOMA, Oxford
1995
Included in “Africus” Johannesburg Biennale (28th February to 30th April, 1995)
2009/2010
SA National Gallery, Cape Town (“Dada South - Exploring Dada legacies in South African art 1960 to the present” (12th December/28th February) (included)
Konrad Adenauer Foundation
The following is a Statement made by The Haenggi Foundation Inc., Johannesburg, to the Konrad Adenauer Foundation on 8th September, 1981:
“Lucas Seage is confident as far as his future in art is concerned (when he submitted his works to the Selection Committee, he even stated that he was sure he would win the first prize!); he is however easily influenced by the general opinions of others concerning life, politics, etc. and can get very upset about the present situation in S.A., which he portrays in his creations. Our feeling is that Düsseldorf (Prof. Beuys) or something similar would be the right venue for his further studies. He prefers working by himself, or in a small group.
He is also interested in drama.
His finances have to be very strictly controlled, as of late he has been supported by certain churches and other benefactors and he has not had to depend much on his own efforts. He is very friendly, joyful, moody and sensitive.
Out of 4 works submitted to the Jury (2 paintings and 2 sculptures), 3 were accepted for exhibition, including the prize winning entry.
We do support his application and feel that he will be one of the most important contemporary Black artists in time to come.”
SUPPORTING STATEMENTS to the Konrad Adenauer Foundation were also given by Paul Stopforth, Terence King and Bill Ainslie.
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
S.A. National Gallery, Cape Town
(PELMAMA PERMANENT ART COLLECTION)
Two works - sculpture + m/media
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Johannesburg Art Gallery, Johannesburg
"No title", 1986 - mixed media drawing with collage on Fabriano paper - 96.8x126.5 cm (img. JAG)
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University of Fort Hare, Alice
"African Circumcision", m/media collage on board - 113x113cm - cat. 219
"Abstract", 1986 - m/media on paper - 68x98 cm - cat. 220
Both images illustrated in ISBN 1-86810-015-4
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WITS ART MUSEUM, Johannesburg
"Coffin of the migrant worker" - Wood, nails, bones, found materials - 46.0x70.3x27.6 cm
Donated to the Wits Art Museum by Lionel Murcott in 1995
PRESS NOTICES
| The Star, Johannesburg, 5.5.1980 | . |
| Sunday Times, 7.6.1981 | Soweto riots - as seen by a black artist (Doreen Levin) |
| Beeld, 8.7.1981 | Seage wen Adenauer-Beurs (Deon Viljoen) |
| The Star, 10.7.1981 | German scholars to exhibit (John Dewar) |
| Beeld, 10.7.1981 | ‘n Kans om weer te begin lewe (Deon Viljoen) |
| Sunday Times, 12.7.1981 | Award for sculpture of a bed (Doreen Levin) |
| Sowetan, 17.7.1981 | Art of protest (Nat Mokgosi) |
| Sowetan, 17.7.1981 | Objects lost and found (Kaizer Ngwenya) |
| The Star, 17.7.1981 | Photograph of Seage |
| Rand Daily Mail, 17.7.1981 | Best of today’s black art (Joyce Ozynski) |
| The Citizen, 22.7.1981 | Black artists’ contest (Richard Cheales) |
| Sunday Express, 26.7.1981 | Art show row over “Biko” entry (C. Vickers) |
| The Cape Times, 15.8.1981, p6 | “Future” artists show works (Benita Munitz) |
| The Argus, 18.8.1981 | "Black art in the doldrums?" (Rose Korber) |
| Sowetan, 17.11.1981 | Lucky break for 2 artists |
| Style, Johannesburg, Oct 1981 | Picture of Seage and his work - in colour |
| Staffrider, Nov. 1981 – Vol.4 No.3 | Art and Social Struggle (Lucas Seage interviewed by David Koloane) |
| The Star, 13.5.1983 | Political art that struggles to communicate |
| Beeld, 14.5.1983 | Relevant maar betekenisloos (M. Martin) |
| New Nation, 2.3.1990 | Artists still face major hurdles |
| Weekly Mail, 16.3.1990 | Seage drops his assemblage (S. Khan) |
| Sowetan, 26.3.1990 | Talented Soweto artist to exhibit (E. Makhaya) |
| Southern Africa Today, April 1990 | Notice + Picture (Christine Burgess) |
| The Star, 9.4.1990 | The rebel loses his cause (Kendell Geers) |
Click on image to read the interview published in Staffrider in November 1981!
OTHER SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Art & Artists of South Africa (Balkema) (Berman), 1983, p.49 – ISBN 0 86961 144 5
Art from South Africa - MOMA, Oxford (D. Elliott), 1990, p.75, ill.8 – ISBN 0 905836 71 5
“Contemporary South African Art” - The Gencor Collection (Jonathan Ball) (K. Geers), 1997, pp. 127, 144 - ISBN 1-86842-039-6
Images of Man - Contemporary South African Black Art and Artists (E.J. de Jager), 1992, var., ill. 219, 220 – ISBN 1-86810-015-4
Images of Metal (Witwatersrand University Press) (E. Rankin), p.38 – ISBN 1 86814 257 4
Images of Wood (Johannesburg Art Gallery) (E. Rankin) 1989 - ISBN 978-0-620-13867-3
Painting in South Africa (Southern Book Publishers) (Berman), 1993, p.301 – ISBN 1 86812 479 7
Resistance Art in South Africa (David Philip) (Sue Williamson), 1989, ill p.65 – ISBN 0-86486-124-9
The Neglected Tradition: Towards a New History of SA Art (1930-1988) - Johannesburg Art Gallery (Steven Sack), 1988, ill. 157, p. 83 – ISBN 0-620-13184-5
"Un Art Contemporain d'Afrique du Sud" (Ed. Plumes) (Jouannais), 1994, pp. 62/63, ill. p. 63 - ISBN 2 84110 027 8
Visual Century – South African Art in Context – Vol. 3 1973-1992 (Wits University Press) (Pissarra), 2011, pp 3, 21, 23, 65, 85, ill p.22 – ISBN 978 1 86814 526 3
Visual Century – South African Art in Context – Vol. 4 1990-2007 (Wits University Press) (Goniwe, Pissarra, Majavu), 2011, p 131 – ISBN 978 1 86814 527 0
SELECTED WORKS IN PRIVATE COLLECTIONS
The Collection of Prof. Emer. T.L. Holdstock, U.K.
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Click on upper 3 images for a better view (best in Mozilla Firefox browser)
Click on this link to see 8 works by Lucas SEAGE in the Collection
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reminiscences by Prof. Emer. T.L Holdstock (PDF)
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The Collection of J.L., London
SELECTED WORKS SOLD ON AUCTION
Waddington's Auctioneers, Toronto
"American & Modern Painting online auction" - 22nd February, 2016 - Lot 154
Lot 154 "Untitled abstract with calligraphy", 1986 - m/media on paper - 60x3x94 cm, dated and signed mid right edge (Private Coll., Canada)
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Stephan Welz / Sotheby's, Johannesburg
Lot 557 "Love for Abstract" (part of diptych) m/media on paper 72x100 cm
12th May, 2003 - Lot 401, 557 (Love for abstract) (ill.) - realised US$914
17th May, 1999 - Lot 375 (House of Fish) (m/med. 1990, 139x99 cm) - realised US$1374
18th May, 1998 - Lot 503 (Love for abstract) (diptych) (m/med, 139x99 cm) - realised US$1276
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Russell Kaplan Auctioneers, Johannesburg
30th March, 2013 - Lots P108, P109
Left: P108 "Abstract composition with blue" - m/med. on paper - 70x49 cm - estimate ZAR4'000-ZAR7'000
Right: P109 "Abstract composition with red" - m/med. on paper - 70x49 cm - estimate ZAR4'000-ZAR7'000
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Russell Kaplan Auctioneers, Johannesburg
11th May, 2013 - Lot P34
"Abstract composition" - m/media and collage - 49x69cm - Lot P34 - estimate ZAR4,500-ZAR5'500
OBITUARY
by Roger van Wyk
published in "Art South Africa", March 2010 (PDF)
This page updated on 6th June, 2016
