Art enthusiasts are mourning the death of art historian and author Professor Karin Skawran, former head of the department of art history, visual arts and musicology at Unisa.
Skawran, who lost her battle with cancer last week, will be remembered by many art lovers as an outstanding academic nd scholar who spoke at many exhibitions.
Born in 1937, the academic was raised in Pretoria and started her academic career at Unisa, from where she retired in 1996.
She was a well-known Byzantine scholar who built up an internationally acclaimed art and art history department at Unisa.
Skawran also established one of the most important art collections featuring South African art.
The Byzantine style of architecture developed from the fifth century AD in the Byzantine Empire.
While it was still financially possible during the 1970s, she acquired a collection of prints by David Hockney, Tom Wesselmann, Jim Dine, Andy Warhol and many others.
Friend and colleague Eunice Basson said she would always remember Skawran for her passion for her craft, which inspired many.
“She was very warm and loving. She was also a globe trotter and as a result she got on very well with everyone she met,” said Basson.
In 1983 Skawran published a book on Irmin Henkel in collaboration with his wife Margot Henkel and in 1985 she co-edited another on artist Walter Battiss.
She edited and contributed to many catalogues on artists, among them Edoardo Villa, Willem Strydom, Alan Crump, Neville Dubow and Jan Neethling.
In addition to her academic career and many other activities, Skawran was a member of the South African National Gallery board of trustees for many years and also served as chairwoman.
Skawran was deeply involved in the accreditation and examination processes of the Grade 12 art syllabus at Umalusi, where she played a pivotal role for many years.
As a member of the International Soroptimists, Skawran was also a founding member of the Mapula Embroidery Collective north of Pretoria. The creative work of this embroidery collective is today internationally renowned.
Pretoria News Weekend