Sekoto, Gerard (1913-1993), a black South African painter, first achieved recognition in the 1940’s for his vivid, colorful scenes of township life. Sekoto was regarded as a pioneer in modern South African art and a role model for black South African artists. Sekoto’s early work is noted for its strong use of non-naturalistic color. Although Sekoto lived much of his adult life outside his native country, his subject matter remained South African. He first gained attention with Yellow Houses: A Street in Sophiatown (1940).
Sekoto was born on Dec. 9, 1913, in Botshabelo, near Middelburg, in what is now the province of Mpumalanga. He trained as a teacher at Grace Dieu, a college near Pietersburg (now Polokwane), in what is now the province of Limpopo. Sekoto moved to Johannesburg in 1939 and then to Cape Town in 1942. Sekoto immigrated to Paris in 1947, where he lived in self-imposed exile until his death on March 19, 1993.
