In response to the tragic passing of David Bowie on 10 January 2016, Sean O’Toole wrote a nifty précis for Timeslive of an article which the Thin White Duke penned for ‘Modern Painters’ in 1995. Bowie was in Johannesburg for the inaugural Johannesburg Biennale and reflects on his adoration for Kentridge, his refutation of Beezy Bailey’s lament of affirmative action in the visual arts and a photoshoot with his model wife, Iman Abdulmajid, in Cape Town for ‘American Vogue’.
O’Toole’s full article can be read here.
One of the most intriguing parts of the article is an allusion to a “photograph circulating amongst artists that … shows Bowie in safari beige and camera with beaming artists Kate Gottgens, Barend de Wet and Wayne Barker.”
Being the intrepid investigative journalists that we are, we asked Barend de Wet if he would be willing to share the alleged image with ArtThrob. He kindly obliged (thanks Barend!):
David Bowie with Kate Gottgens, Barend de Wet and Wayne Barker in Johannesburg. Image courtesy of Barend de Wet
