Scratchboard / Scraperboard Art by Solly Gutman 'The Colour of Black and White'
  • HOME
  • ABOUT SOLLY AND THE TECHNIQUE
  • GALLERY
    • Animals and Birds in Black and White
    • Animals and Birds in Colour
    • Big Five
    • Botanicals in Black and White
    • Botanicals in Colour
    • District Six
    • Early Cape Town
    • Early Durbanville
    • Early False Bay and Surrounds
    • Malay Quarter Bo-Kaap
    • Table Mountain
    • Robben Island
    • Cape Town Harbour
    • Kalk Bay and Hout Bay
    • Arniston & Joostenburg
    • Knysna
    • Oudtshoorn
    • People, Portraits and Characters
    • Nudes
    • Miscellaneous
  • BLOG
  • PRICES AND CONTACT DETAILS

District Six - Balcony Life

3/10/2019

0 Comments

 
Picture
A balcony is not like a stoep, open and easily accessible to every passer by. It is more private, more a family affair, and in times gone by, almost a way of life. People would sit on their balconies of an evening to gossip, smoke and watch the passing parade, and District Six had many balconies, especial in Hanover Street. People would keep their pets there, string their washing out to dry, and as a playground, it was safe and near at hand.

Most of the balconies have long since been condemned and demolished, and with it a tradition, known as the 'skel', practiced by women neighbours when they quarrelled. In a wordy battle the woman up on the balcony had a distinct advantage for she could empty the contents of her dirt-bin (or worse) onto her adversary. This was rare though as these exchanges more usually consisted of bawdy comments and quick witted quips. A crowd would gather who listened with the ears of connoisseurs, while children would cheer and clap hands when one or other woman uttered such a riposte to leave her adversary speechless for a while. The saving features of these street-to-balcony skirmishes were that the two opponents were unable to engage in physical violence; rather they provided free entertainment to their neighbours, and they lived to fight another day!
Picture
Visit the gallery for more images which are are available as high quality prints on non-archival paper or on stretched canvas. Click here for prices.

Place your order
by phone on +27 79 247 7532
by email to gutmansolly@gmail.com
or inbox me on facebook: Solly Gutman Scratchboard Art

Other prints and a range of lifestyle products are available from Fine Art America - worldwide shipping available.
0 Comments



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    I started my 'journey' with Scraperboard or Scratchboard Art in 1968. Since then I have been working exclusively in this medium.

    Archives

    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015

Scratchboard / Scraperboard Artist