PAARL – The passing of internationally renowned Paarl artist Selwyn Pekeur at age 68 this week has sparked an outpouring of tributes from family, friends and the broader arts fraternity, who remember him as a gentle soul with an enduring passion for his craft.
News of his death broke on Monday 1 December, the day he died, following “a long sickbed and suffering”.
Pekeur, who matriculated from the Paulus Joubert Secondary School in 1978, devoted his life to the visual arts, as a full time art teacher and part time artist.
He started teaching at Magnolia Primary School in 1981 and was actively involved in promoting the visual arts in the local community.
In a long, distinguished career Pekeur made a name for himself not only locally but also among the international arts fraternity, his work travelling as far afield as Hamburg, Germany.
Family spokesperson and CEO of the Castle of Good Hope Calvin Gilfellan said Pekeur leaves a wife, two children and a grandchild.
Gilfellan, who happens to be the brother of the artist’s wife, said: “He had a deep love for his family and would always go out of his way to support them.
“Selwyn passed away after a long, long sickbed and suffering, which we are thankful is over, and he will be missed by his beloved wife and family.
“The fact that the family is always there for one another is always amazing. My mother, sisters and brothers were all together supporting one another at this time of loss.
“I always think the closeness of our family is what really keeps us together, particularly at such times.”
He described Pekeur as “Paarl’s Picasso”.
“I think the entire country and international art community have a huge respect for his talents. We all know him for his voluptuous black dancing, females, cigarette in their hand, colourful, really speaking to our communities and especially township communities.
“He made efforts to teach other young artists and one of the ways was through the art collective he formed with other local artists.”
Gilfellan says Pekeur’s work was well-known globally.
“Sometimes we would watch international movies and spot his art in the background. He’s affected really not only the local community but also the international community.
“I think the issue with the talent of Paarl is that we take our artists and sport stars for granted because we are so talented here. Selwyn has really changed the way we view art,” Gilfellan added.
Apart from painting, Pekeur was also a scalptor and printmaker who loved to experiment with different media and techniques.
His work had a strong focus on African culture and was largely influenced by experimenting with humor.
Pekeur’s work has over the years been displayed at several arts gatherings including the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees (KKNK).
In the year 2000 he featured in a kykNET documentary Kunskafee.
Pekeur’s funeral service is set to take place this coming Sunday at 13:00 at the VGK Huguenot in Klein Drakenstein Rd, Paarl East.
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