The Man Who Sang and The Woman Who Kept Silent, a mixed-media installation known as The Blue Dress, remains a signature commission for the Constitutional Court of Johannesburg. Created by Judith Mason, this work exemplifies a career defined by technical skill in oil, pencil, printmaking, and mixed media that spanned from 1938 until her death in White River in 2016.
Early Development and Academic Tenure
Born in Pretoria in 1938, Mason completed her matriculation at Pretoria High School for Girls in 1956. She subsequently earned a BA Degree in Fine Arts from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1960. Her professional life included significant teaching roles at the University of the Witwatersrand, the University of Pretoria, and the Michaelis School of Fine Art in Cape Town. Internationally, she taught at the Scuola Lorenzo de' Medici in Florence between 1989 and 1991. Additionally, she served as an external examiner for numerous institutions, including Stellenbosch, Potchefstroom, and Natal universities.
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Mason initiated her public career with a solo exhibition at Gallery 101 in Johannesburg in 1964, following a second-prize finish in the 1963 U.A.T competition. Her work reached global audiences through representation at the Venice Biennale in 1986 and the São Paulo Biennale in 1973. Throughout her life, she held exhibitions across Europe, the United States, Chile, and Switzerland. Her 2008 retrospective, titled A Prospect of Icons, was hosted by the Standard Bank Gallery in Johannesburg and later moved to the Sasol Art Museum at the University of Stellenbosch in 2009. Her final exhibition, Undiscovered Animals, took place in June 2016.
Themes and Collaborative Commissions
Symbolism and mythology feature heavily across Mason's portfolio. Many of her pieces addressed human rights atrocities surfaced by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Beyond painting and drawing, she collaborated on several large-scale tapestries with Marguerite Stephens and produced stained-glass window designs for the Great Park Synagogue in Johannesburg. Her interest in literature and text manifested in numerous artist's books, including collaborations with poets such as Wilma Stockenstrom, Ted Townsend, and Patrick Cullinan.
Fast facts
- Born: 1938, Pretoria
- Died: 28 December 2016, White River
- Education: University of the Witwatersrand
- Primary mediums: Oil, pencil, printmaking, mixed media
- Major commission: The Blue Dress, Constitutional Court of Johannesburg
- International presence: Venice Biennale, 1986
- Retrospective: A Prospect of Icons, 2008-2009
Questions readers ask
What subjects did Judith Mason explore in her art?
Her work utilized symbolism and mythology, often addressing atrocities revealed by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Where can the public view her work?
Her art is held in various public and private collections, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art, and the Constitutional Court of South Africa.
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