The Vernacular Art of Erich Mayer
By:
Nigel Amschwand
Date:
Tue, 10/10/2023 - 18:30 to 19:30
Venue:
SA Astronomical Observatory auditorium
Branch:
Western Cape
Postponed from 8 August to 10 October due to taxi strike.
Date: TUESDAY 10 October 2023
Date: TUESDAY 10 October 2023
Time: 18:00 for 18:30
Place: S A Astronomical Observatory
SPEAKER: Nigel Amschwand
TITLE: The Vernacular Art of Erich Mayer
ABSTRACT: Nigel’s current research is on the artist Erich Mayer and his two visits to the Northern Cape in 1921 and 1930. Mayer’s works show vernacular lifestyle in the early 20th century which was not too different to 100 years earlier. This historical archaeology presentation illustrates Erich Mayer's paintings of early farmhouses and how Nigel attempted to track down the actual buildings to see if they were still standing. His talk shows some initial findings.
BIO: Nigel Amschwand is a mechanical engineer working in the field of industrial refrigeration. Until his retirement, he was the Engineering Director of the local arm of a German multi-national. Nigel has presented papers and written many articles on related subjects. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Refrigeration. Nigel has always had a keen interest in history and archaeology and was involved in a Vernacular Architecture Society of South Africa (VASSA) project on recording many interesting farm complexes in the Onder-Bokkeveld. This resulted in his book, Short History of the Onder-Bokkeveld, on the social history of the area giving the history of families that lived on three of the farms.Two further books, 1847 – Dispossession and Migration and The Early History of Loeriesfontein, discussed the plight of Baster communities in the Northern Cape in the 19th century. Nineteenth Century Houses at the Cape was the result of 25 years studying vernacular architecture, both of the original inhabitants and the colonists.
BIO: Nigel Amschwand is a mechanical engineer working in the field of industrial refrigeration. Until his retirement, he was the Engineering Director of the local arm of a German multi-national. Nigel has presented papers and written many articles on related subjects. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Refrigeration. Nigel has always had a keen interest in history and archaeology and was involved in a Vernacular Architecture Society of South Africa (VASSA) project on recording many interesting farm complexes in the Onder-Bokkeveld. This resulted in his book, Short History of the Onder-Bokkeveld, on the social history of the area giving the history of families that lived on three of the farms.Two further books, 1847 – Dispossession and Migration and The Early History of Loeriesfontein, discussed the plight of Baster communities in the Northern Cape in the 19th century. Nineteenth Century Houses at the Cape was the result of 25 years studying vernacular architecture, both of the original inhabitants and the colonists.