Nieu Bethesda - Eastern Cape, South Africa
In this obscure Karoo
town there lived a reclusive artist, Helen Martin. Over a twelve year period, she
worked with Koos Malgas
(1937-2000) to create a breathtaking display of
works from concrete and hand-ground glass. Martin committed suicide in 1976, after
which Malgas disappeared into obscurity until he was recently re-discovered by Cape
Town artist Beezy Bailey.
Drawn not only from Christian, but also Eastern religious icons, all the figures
in the Camel Yard face east. This feature inspired the title of Athol Fugard's play
The Road to Mecca, which tells the
sad story of the visionary artist who was shunned by her community.
The bizarre and compelling
works remain in the
Camel Yard
of the Owl House to this day and have become something of a local tourist attraction,
affording Martin, in death, a fame and respect that she could never have dreamed
of while alive.
Please visit the official web site:
www.owlhouse.co.za
Where to stay while visiting the Owl House, go to:
The Owl House Backpackers
The Owl House
In The Town
