Andrew Verster

Andrew Verster (1937–2020)

Andrew Verster died peacefully on Sunday, 16 February 2020 — the kind of death he would have wished for: quiet, dignified, and reflective of a life devoted to creativity and service. Since the passing of his life partner, Aidan Walsh, in 2009, Verster’s world was marked by personal loss, yet he never abandoned his commitment to artistic creation.

Verster’s work spans painting, tapestry, wood carving, carpet design, and large-scale public commissions. He collaborated with skilled craftspeople to realize ambitious projects, including commissions for the Constitutional Court of South Africa, where his designs, ranging from etched glass panels to carved wood elements, enhanced the Court’s spaces with both aesthetic beauty and symbolic resonance. His contributions reflect the Court’s values: justice, dignity, and constitutionalism. Through his art, Verster engaged with South Africa’s history and socio-political landscape, embedding narratives of resilience, accountability, and the ongoing pursuit of freedom within the built environment of the Court.

Beyond the Court, Verster designed opera and theatre costumes, installations, and public artworks. He was a poet, short story writer, art critic, and a committed advocate for the arts, serving on boards including the Film and Publication Review Board, the Durban Art Works Trust, Very Special Arts, Artists for Human Rights Trust, the African Art Centre, and the Grahamstown Festival Visual Arts Board.

Over a career spanning more than fifty solo exhibitions, Verster’s work has been included in major public and private collections, including the Constitutional Court Art Collection (CCAC), the National Gallery of South Africa, and prominent corporate collections. In 2009, he received an Honorary Doctorate from the Durban University of Technology, a recognition of both his creative achievements and his influence as a mentor and teacher.

Verster lived through South Africa’s tumultuous transformations, and his art reflects a steadfast commitment to ethical engagement, social awareness, and the values underpinning constitutional democracy. At home in Durban’s Berea, he nurtured a creative community, supporting younger artists with generosity and guidance. His legacy endures not only in artworks housed in the CCAC but in the enduring principles of justice, freedom, and human dignity that his art embodies.

References

• Durban University of Technology. Honorary Doctorates: Andrew Verster, 2009. Durban: DUT Records.

• Verster, A. Retrospective Exhibition Catalogue. Durban: Durban Art Gallery, 2008.

• African Art Centre. Tribute to Andrew Verster. Durban: AAC Archives.