Of Printmaking, Creativity and Studio Practice: A Dialogue with Malcolm Christian, Caverhsam Press

Abstract

Malcolm Christian is a 67-year old South African who grew up in Durban (Natal, KwaZulu-Natal). His parentage was of the second, third generations from UK. He spent his first 24 years in South Africa doing his studies before going to London for one-year scholarship: On finishing school he completed a Diploma in Fine Art majoring in sculpture combined with a certificate in photography at the Natal College for Technical Education. He won an overseas scholarship which enabled him to study printmaking at Croydon College for Art and Design, London. After returning to South Africa he taught in a number of tertiary education institutions prior to taking a life-changing decision to go into practice, establishing a printmaking press (studio) which a wide-range of artists have continued to leverage upon. His press at the ‘lonely’ midland of Caversham in KwaZulu-Natal has remained a huge facility of a studio, first of its kind in South Africa, established in 1985. Malcolm has, by his collaborative engagement at Caversham studio, grounded a creative osmosis between formal institutions of art and professional practitioners. This he does by admitting artists for residences, organising workshops for young learners. This creative initiative has also budded into brilliant strands such as the Caversham Centre for Artists and Writers, CreACTive Centres and the entrepreneurial model for hand-made fabric printing and workshop, the Caversham Textile. Malcolm’s approach is an excellent paradigm for today’s artists and professional producers of creative culture. Kathy Arbuckle of University of KwaZulu-Natal convivially referred to him as a ‘Picasso’. I sat down with him in April 2018 to dialogue in details.