Max Wolpe’s 11 draws crowds to Jewish Museum

Artist Max Wolpe with Gavin Morris, Director of the South African Jewish Museum

On April 11, the launch of Max Wolpe’s 11 attracted a dynamic crowd of artists, writers and fresh faces to the South African Jewish Museum.

Renowned art critic, Lloyd Pollack introduced Wolpe, drawing us into his world, illuminating both the artist and his art. He warmly described Wolpe as “a true character, a colourful, eccentric personality which has made him a living legend in Cape Town.”

Max Wolpe has become an established and recognisable figure in the Cape Town art community.

Having graduated from Ruth Prowse Art school in 1978 with a diploma in Fine Art, Max has worked consistently and almost compulsively at his art practice at his home in Cape Town.
His expressionist work comprises mostly portraits and group portraits, and persistently revisits themes and scenes that are insightful, humorous and lively.

As Pollack described, Wolpe’s often crowded canvasses “teem with such a dense throng of humanity that they almost erupt the frame, so charged are they with the life, vitality and joyous exuberance of his circle who often appear to be performing with a wild theatricality for our benefit.”

Wolpe’s retrospective is curated by Mari Macdonald, who thanked Wolpe for showing her that “there can be alternative and interesting ways of living’’.

She reminded the audience that “in a world where we are consumed with images of the self, with social media and advertising, we don’t need to buy into it. There’s so much more to life than appearances.”

Max Wolpe’s 11 will be on display at The South African Jewish Museum until June 2018.

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