Sue Williamson

Artist biography:

Born: 1941, Litchfield, England

In 1948 Williamson’s family moved to South Africa, where she developed an affinity for art. In 1963, she moved to New York to study at the Art Students’ League. Williamson has received her Fine Art Diploma from the Rorkes Drift Art Center and an Advanced Diploma in Fine Art from the Michaelis School of Fine Art, Cape Town (UCT).

Although trained as a printmaker, she also works in installation, constructed objects, photographic images and video, addressing social issues or aspects of contemporary history. Her work boldly demonstrates where she stands, and she is unsparing in her criticism of her country’s institutions.

Williamson’s work is shown internationally, often in major museum exhibitions; her work is included in many museums, both in South Africa and around the world. Her recent video work focusing on South African immigrants is a return to this concern; her Better Lives series (2003, figure 3) is a series of six filmed portraits of people that came to Cape Town from other parts of Africa to secure new lives for themselves and their families. In most of her works, including her ‘Better Lives’ portraits and the ‘a few South African’s series’, Williamson empowers her subjects with visibility and presence, by giving voice to those who are consistently not heard.

Today her work is internationally recognized and she frequently exhibits on major museum shows around the world. Her work is represented in most South African and some international museum collections.

Sue Williamson currently works and lives in Cape Town, South Africa where she has a studio in Sir Lowry Road in the City. She is represented by Goodman Gallery, South Africa.