Transvaal & Transnet

I deem my roots as one of the utmost important features of my identity. My parents were born and raised in the old province of South Africa known as Transvaal. The name was given to the province because of its geographical location, which was the Northern side of the Vaal river. My grandfathers on both of my parents' sides worked for Transnet, the South African railway system. My father’s father was a crane operator and my mother’s father was a communication and electrical technician.

Pierneef worked on a commission in 1929 to create 32 panels for Transnet which he completed in 1932. The landscapes were oil on canvas. It is familiar scenes from my parents’ and grandparents’ life as well as my own, thus the reason for my fascination and fondness of Pierneef’s art.

Art style

Pierneef was a landscape artist and loved the South African landscape just as dearly. He used a simplistic style with a geometric aspect to it. Pierneef used soft pastel colours to create the scenes of harmony and peace. He was an artist with a distinctive style which is not all that common. To create landscapes from geometric shapes were only a possibility for Pierneef.

Journey

28 of the 32 Transnet panels are showcased at the Rupert Museum in Stellenbosch. I took photographs of all 28. Take this virtual tour with me through 28 of the Transnet panels.

Poem

I wrote a poem to honour Pierneef. The original poem is in Afrikaans which I will post as well as a translation. Obviously some of the effects will be lost because of translation, but nonetheless, I provide both.

Huldeblyk
J.H. Pierneef

Ek admireer die estetiese landskappe
die skepping van berge en vlaktes op jou skilderye.
ń Samevatting van onbekende nostalgie.
Palette vol delikate kleure wat mekaar komplimenteer,
Olyf-groen vir Klipriviersberg,
Aandgloed se perskepienk weerkaatsing,
Tegniek het deur jou vingers geloop,
Die boomskadu’s wat val teen die Du Toits se wynkelder
Fauvisme se gebruik in Rustenburg se kloof
Die gebruik van passie straal uit jou werke uit
Jou distinktiewe kuns het jou vriendskap met die wolke en kremetartbome gemanifesteer.
Die hemelvlak se emosies het jy vasgevang en ontbloot.
ń Sagte geometriese perspektief se eksperimentering het jou uniekheid geskep.
ń Filosofiese benadering na die uitdrukking van jou sig.
Jou eer aan Transvaal en sy bure sal nooit vergete gaan nie.
Die Hoëveld sal jou altyd styf teen sy bors hou.
Jou indruk sal vir ewig in vele van ons se harte rondsweef,
Jacob Hendrik, Pierneef

Eulogy
J.H. Pierneef

I admire the aesthetic landscapes
the creation of mountains and plains on your paintings.
An encapsulation of unknown nostalgia.
Palettes full of delicate colours compliment each other;
Olive-green for Klipriviersberg,
A peach-pink reflection for Aandgloed.
Technique flowed through your fingers;
The shadows of the trees fell against the Du Toits’ wine cellar,
Use of fauvism in Rustenburg’s valley.
Passion radiated through your works.
Your distinctive art manifested your friendship with the clouds and baobab trees.
You captured and revealed the emotions of heaven.
Experimentation with a soft geometric perspective created uniqueness.
A philosophical approach to the expression of your view.
Your honour to Transvaal and its neighbours will never be forgotten.
The Highveld holds you close to its chest.
Your impression will forever drift around in our hearts,
Jacob Hendrik, Pierneef.

This post is my own creation. The photographs were taken with my iPhone and my partner's Nikon D300. The artworks are not my own and is the property of Pierneef.