BY ADELE SANDERS
The work of seasoned Cape Town artist Adele Sanders has been recognised for its excellence through the inclusion of her portrait of Ella Blumenthal in the Top 100 portrait works in the Rust-en-Vrede Gallery’s Portrait Award for 2025. This award is a highly respected national award in South Africa, akin in status to the Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer Portrait Award in the UK (originally known as the BP Award). Adele’s work has previously been acknowledged in this Award but this year’s placing is the best achievement thus far.
The stringent selection process for the Rust-en-Vrede Portrait Award 2025 involves the expertise of a panel of three independent, invited judges. The submitted portraits are not signed and therefore anonymously judged; and the judges’ decisions are not shared.
Adele shares the inspiration for her portrait, I am Ella – 48632 – Survivor.
On hearing Ella Blumenthal’s talk at the Holocaust Centre in Cape Town, I knew that I was in the presence of an extraordinary lady, whose likeness I had to capture in an artwork. Ella stood and spoke for two hours, without notes. A major achievement for anyone, let alone a lady of 98 years young, at that time!
To learn more about Ella’s life, one can read Ella’s book; or choose to watch the hugely successful animated movie made by Jordy Sank and Gabriella Blumberg called I am Here. My aim was to capture Ella’s story in a portrait that would do her proud. This tribute to Ella took six months to create and to complete. The photos that I took of Ella that evening, as she stepped off the podium, served as the resources for her portrait.
After obtaining Ella’s permission via her daughter, Evelyn Kaplan, the next consideration was whether Ella’s portrait should be done in oils or in a graphite drawing. I chose the latter.
Portraiture as an art form is hugely humbling. Spending many hours accessing the subject’s essence is an intensely personal and privileged experience. Ella’s portrait was even more so because every facial line and nuance was a reflection of her traumatic experience. Her portrait highlights the pain, the torment and the anguish that she suffered during her time in the concentration camps. But also clearly visible is this woman’s courage, resilience, iron will and the immense power of her faith.
Ella, now 104 years old, currently lives happily in the home of her daughter Evelyn and son-in-law Paul, surrounded by much loving care.
Because we share our Jewish heritage, Ella’s story reaches deep into my consciousness and my Jewish soul. This sense of connection to my Jewishness is very powerful.
The stories of my late mother’s history during the pogroms in Poland have provided additional insight, which assisted in my creation of Ella’s portrait.
The portrait ‘I am Ella – 46832 – Survivor’ has been created as a tribute honouring Ella.
That it has been selected among the top 100 portraits, is both gratifying and humbling. The electrifying vibe at the opening of this exhibition, proves that portraiture is alive and well in South Africa!
I’ve turned heART-ache into ART. ●
Commenting on how she treats light and shade in her work, Adele Sanders explains that, “Chiaroscuro, the light and the shade, the shadows and the reflected light, underpin every form. In art I strive to filter out the worldly clutter and noise, focusing on the pivotal essence of the sitter, engaging the viewer by capturing the authenticity of the image.”
Exhbition on until 29 October 2025.
Venue: Spier Arts Trust, Union House, 25 Commercial Street, Cape Town.
Free admission, Monday to Friday 09H00–16H00
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