Samuel Allerton is a Cape-based South African sculptor. Allerton showed a clear interest for and talent in art from a young age. After attending Summer School at the Slade School of Fine Art in London, Allerton’s passion was confirmed and he enrolled at the Michaelis School of Fine Art, Cape Town where he was the recipient of the Irma Stern bursary.
Allerton works primarily in bronze and resin, as well as in wood and stone. Although he is best known for his sculptural work, he has also produced a number of highly expressive paintings and drawings. Thematically, the environment and man’s relationship to it are central to Allerton’s practice, as is pop culture and mass consumerism. An image which appears most predominantly throughout the artist’s oeuvre is that of the gorilla – a symbol of the power and fragility of nature. Allerton’s gorillas are humorously situated within pop culture with the addition of various cues such as headphones, a cape or a machine gun.
Allerton’s works have been shown in a number of solo and group shows across South Africa, including several exhibitions at Everard Read in Cape Town and Johannesburg. Alongside his practice, the artist has participated in notable outreach work, including having taught at The Homestead, Cape Town and Lalela, Hout Bay.
