oil and graphite on canvas

Artwork date: 2002
Signature details: signed and inscribed with the artist's name, the title, medium and date on the reverse
Literature: Atkinson, B., Becker, R., Powell, I., Geers, K. and Godby, M. (eds.). (2002). Robert Hodgins. Cape Town: Tafelberg Publishers, illustrated in colour on p.68.

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90 x 120 cm; framed size: 92.5 x 122.5 x 5 cm

Provenance:

Private collection, Cape Town.

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

The imposing Business Acquaintances is a great example of Robert Hodgins’ satirical take on human relationships, particularly within societal roles like business.

The artist’s sharp-witted portrayals of "the office," "businessmen," and "CEOs in pinstriped suits" serve as visual metaphors for cultural and socio-economic power structures – a recurring and popular theme in his most important works – like this one painted in 2002. These paintings offer not only a critical or comical view of the corporate world, but also explore the psychological dimensions of individual and collective male identity, in particular.

Business Acquaintances is a bold, sophisticated painting that showcases the artist's confident command of his medium, technique, and subject matter. The scene presents two suited male figures with exaggerated, almost caricature-like features, set against a sharply contrasting background. Bright, bold, and slightly abstract colours enhance the emotional depth of the work, emphasising mood over realism.

Dominated by reds, yellows, and blues, with neutral pauses, each colour block is distinct, creating an almost geometric background that contrasts with the irregular shapes of the linear figures. The red background transitions to deep shades around the figures, which creates a vignette effect and gives the scene depth. The intense red contrasts sharply with the cooler blue in the lower portion, dividing the space and adding visual tension. The yellow on the right adds warmth and serves as a framing element that could symbolise structural or ideological boundaries.

The figures themselves are simplified representations of business individuals. Hodgins used graphite over paint for the fine outlines of their figures and the linear detailing within their suits, which are loosely defined and look almost sketched. This softens their appearance and perhaps hints at a critique of the rigid and uniform nature of business culture.

While the title of the work serves as a clue, the relationship between the two figures is ambivalent, leaving the viewer curious and engaged, wanting to know more about them as individuals and the particular scenario they find themselves in. Positioned side by side, each figure stands with a hand in their pocket or on their hip, creating a subtle physical distance between them that reflects the strangely personal, yet impersonal nature of business relationships. The lack of facial details on the figure to the right and the muted, indistinct features on the left suggest a loss of individuality within the corporate world. Hodgins emphasises form and colour over detail, highlighting the "acquaintanceship" between these figures – distant yet connected within the shared, structured space of business.

This work exemplifies Hodgins' mastery of both creative vision and technical skill as he explores complex themes around societal norms and the intricate nature of social roles. His approach is playful yet intellectually engaging, offering a thoughtful and serious reflection on these constructed aspects of society.

Marelize van Zyl

COLLECTOR'S NOTE

• In 2002, the same year in which Business Acquaintances was painted, Robert Hodgins’ own book, The Human Race as well as the seminal volume Robert Hodgins, commemorating his fifty years as an artist, was published, affirming his stature in the South African art world.

• A year earlier, the artist’s major retrospective exhibition; 50 Years a Painter first opened and travelled for two years nationally to major intuitions, concluding at the end of 2002 at the Gertrude Posel Gallery, University of Witwatersrand.

• In 2003, the artist presented his last international solo exhibition at Simon Mee Fine Art in London, UK. That same year, his work was also showcased in a group exhibition; Absolutely/Perhaps, with William Kentridge, Johannes Phokela and Sam Nhlengethwa at the same gallery.

• Aspire Art sold Hodgins’ similarly themed paintings A Suit of Flames and a Brooks Bros' Shirt for R1,081,789.97 in September 2020, Tenth Circle (1994/5) for R853,500 in September 2018 and Office Hours (2006) for R 740 389 in November 2017.

COLLECTIONS:

The artist is represented in numerous local and international collections, notably, the Anglo-American collection, Johannesburg; Johannesburg Art Gallery; Javett Art Centre, Pretoria; Iziko South African National Gallery, Cape Town; University of the Witwatersrand Art Gallery, Johannesburg and the William Humphreys Art Gallery, Kimberly.