Walter Whall Battiss (6 January 1906 – 20 August 1982) was a
South African artist
An artist is a person engaged in an activity related to creating art, practicing the arts, or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse refers to a practitioner in the visual arts only. However, the ...
, also known as the creator of the "Fook Island" concept.
Early life
Battiss was born into an
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
Methodist
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...
family in the
Karoo
The Karoo ( ; from the Afrikaans borrowing of the South Khoekhoe !Orakobab or Khoemana word ''ǃ’Aukarob'' "Hardveld") is a semi-desert natural region of South Africa. No exact definition of what constitutes the Karoo is available, so its e ...
town of
Somerset East. He first became interested in
archaeology
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts ...
and
tribal art
Tribal art is the visual arts and material culture of indigenous peoples. Also known as non-Western art or ethnographic art, or, controversially, primitive art, Dutton, Denis, Tribal Art'. In Michael Kelly (editor), ''Encyclopedia of Aesthetics. ...
as a young boy after moving to
Koffiefontein
Koffiefontein is a small farming town in the Free State province of South Africa. The name means ''coffee fountain'' in Afrikaans.
History
In the 1800s, Koffiefontein was a stopover spot for transport riders traveling between the coast and the di ...
in 1917. In 1919 the Battiss family settled in
Fauresmith
Fauresmith is located 130 km south west of Bloemfontein, South Africa. The town, named after Rev Phillip Faure and Sir Harry Smith, is the second oldest town in the Free State.
Fauresmith is the only town in South Africa, and one of only ...
where he completed his education, matriculating in 1923. In 1924 he became a clerk in the Magistrates Court in
Rustenburg
Rustenburg (; , Afrikaans and Dutch: ''City of Rest'') is a city at the foot of the Magaliesberg mountain range. Rustenburg is the most populous city in North West province, South Africa (549,575 in 2011 and 626,522 in the 2016 census). In 2017 ...
. His formal art studies started in 1929 at the
Witwatersrand Technical College (drawing and painting), followed by the
Johannesburg Training College (a Teacher's Diploma) and etching lessons. Battiss continued his studies while working as a magistrate's clerk, and finally obtained his bachelor's degree in Fine Arts at
University of South Africa
The University of South Africa (UNISA), known colloquially as Unisa, is the largest university system in South Africa by enrollment. It attracts a third of all higher education students in South Africa. Through various colleges and affiliates, U ...
at the age of 35.
Career
Battiss was a founding member of the
New Group, a loose friendship of recognized contemporary European and American artists. He was unique among them, in the sense that he was from what were then regarded as the colonies and in that he had not studied in either Europe or North America. In fact, in 1938 he visited
Europe for the first time. The following year, he published his first book, ''The Amazing Bushman''. His interest in
rock art
In archaeology, rock art is human-made markings placed on natural surfaces, typically vertical stone surfaces. A high proportion of surviving historic and prehistoric rock art is found in caves or partly enclosed rock shelters; this type also m ...
had a very profound impact on his ideas, regarding
San painting as an important art form. He was also influenced by African cultural
Ndebele
Ndebele may refer to:
* Southern Ndebele people, located in South Africa
*Northern Ndebele people, located in Zimbabwe and Botswana
Languages
*Southern Ndebele language, the language of the South Ndebele
*Northern Ndebele language
Northern ...
beadwork and generally by pre-
Islamic
Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ma ...
cultures and calligraphy.
In 1949 he befriended
Picasso
Pablo Ruiz Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and Scenic design, theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. One of the most influential artists of the 20th ce ...
who would have an influence on his style.
He visited
Greece
Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...
in 1966-1968 and the
Seychelles
Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (french: link=no, République des Seychelles; Creole: ''La Repiblik Sesel''), is an archipelagic state consisting of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, ...
in 1972, which inspired his make-believe
Fook Island.
Battiss published nine books, wrote many articles and founded the periodical "De Arte". He taught art at
Pretoria Boys High School from 1936 for most of the next 30 years and at the Pretoria Art Centre, of which was the principal from 1953 to 1958.
[Johans Borman]
"Walter Whall Battiss (1906 – 1982)"
''Johans Borman'', Retrieved 10 July 2011 He also taught at
UNISA
The University of South Australia (UniSA) is a public research university in the Australian state of South Australia. It is a founding member of the Australian Technology Network of universities, and is the largest university in South Austral ...
where he became Professor of Fine Art in 1964 and retired in 1971. In 1973 he was awarded a D.Litt. et Phil. (honoris causa) from
UNISA
The University of South Australia (UniSA) is a public research university in the Australian state of South Australia. It is a founding member of the Australian Technology Network of universities, and is the largest university in South Austral ...
.
In 1981 he donated all his work to the newly opened "Walter Battiss Museum" in his birthplace of Somerset East.
Walter Battiss died of a heart attack in
Port Shepstone
Port Shepstone is a large town situated on the mouth of the Mzimkhulu River, the largest river on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast of South Africa. It is located halfway between Hibberdene and Margate and is positioned 120 km south of Durba ...
,
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is locat ...
on 20 August 1982.
Influence
Walter Battiss's long career as an artist was devoted to the study of man in his environment; first in the context of Africa and rock art, then, later, in the interpretation of this concept in its broadest sense. His versatility and influence as an innovator and the incentive he provided for many aspiring artists secured him a special place among leading South African artists.
Fook Island
This "island of the imagination" was a materialization of Battiss' philosophy for which he created a map, imaginary people, plants, animals, a history as well as a set of postage stamps, currency, passports and driver's licenses. He created a Fookian language with a full alphabet as well. This utopian 'island' was a composite of the many islands he visited – which included
Zanzibar
Zanzibar (; ; ) is an insular semi-autonomous province which united with Tanganyika in 1964 to form the United Republic of Tanzania. It is an archipelago in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of the mainland, and consists of many small islan ...
, the
Seychelles
Seychelles (, ; ), officially the Republic of Seychelles (french: link=no, République des Seychelles; Creole: ''La Repiblik Sesel''), is an archipelagic state consisting of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean. Its capital and largest city, ...
,
Madagascar
Madagascar (; mg, Madagasikara, ), officially the Republic of Madagascar ( mg, Repoblikan'i Madagasikara, links=no, ; french: République de Madagascar), is an island country in the Indian Ocean, approximately off the coast of East Afric ...
,
Fiji
Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consi ...
,
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only ...
,
Samoa
Samoa, officially the Independent State of Samoa; sm, Sāmoa, and until 1997 known as Western Samoa, is a Polynesian island country consisting of two main islands (Savai'i and Upolu); two smaller, inhabited islands (Manono Island, Manono an ...
, the
Greek
Greek may refer to:
Greece
Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe:
*Greeks, an ethnic group.
*Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family.
**Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...
Isles and the
Comores – blended together in his customary imaginative fashion. In Battiss's words, "It is something that does not exist. I thought that I would take an island – the island that is inside all of us. I would turn this island into a real thing ... I would give it a name".
Fook was a result of his fertile imagination as well as his opposition to the
Conceptualist Art movement of the 1960s and 70s, in
Europe and
America
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territor ...
. The movement espoused that the construction of art was confined to the 'moment' in which it was created. He believed to the contrary that all art exists in the now and this he argued to represent with Fook Island, which was always in the now and always an essential part of reality.
South Africans
The population of South Africa is about 58.8 million people of diverse origins, cultures, Languages of South Africa, languages, and Religion in South Africa, religions. The South African National Census of 2022 was the most recent census held; ...
including actress
Janet Suzman
Dame Janet Suzman, (born 9 February 1939) is a South African-born British actress who enjoyed a successful early career in the Royal Shakespeare Company, later replaying many Shakespearean roles, among others, on TV. In her first film, '' Nicho ...
, artist (and Battiss protégé)
Norman Catherine, writer
Esmé Berman and many others embraced the philosophy of Fook Island. The journalist
Jani Allan
Jani Allan (born 11 September 1952) is a South African journalist, columnist, writer and broadcaster. She became one of the country's first media celebrities in the 1980s and 1990s.
In 1980, Allan became a columnist for the centrist newspaper, ...
interviewed Battiss in 1982 and also agreed to his request of becoming a 'resident' of the imaginary island.
Battiss's Fookian Driver's License was accepted in America and the colourful pages of his Fookian Passport has official stamps from
Australia,
Britain
Britain most often refers to:
* The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands
* Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...
and
Germany. A Fookian banknote was also exchanged at a
Rome
, established_title = Founded
, established_date = 753 BC
, founder = King Romulus ( legendary)
, image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg
, map_caption ...
airport for $10.
References
External links
Write up of 2005 Retrospective Exhibition with pics of Battiss' workWalter Battiss Museum in Somerset EastThe Guest House on Fook IslandWalter Whall Battiss Biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Battiss, Walter
1906 births
1982 deaths
South African people of English descent
University of South Africa alumni
Olympic bronze medalists in art competitions
White South African people
20th-century South African painters
20th-century South African male artists
Medalists at the 1948 Summer Olympics
South African male painters
Olympic competitors in art competitions