Page 147 - Bulletin 13 2009

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Now let me make this very clear. The fact that students, and first-year students at
that, do comparable studies as part of their basic training in the appreciation of texture and
form does not invalidate the showing of such work as ‘art’. After all, students learn to paint
in oils as well. The point, and the only point, to take into account when one sees any
technique on public exhibition, is to ask: “How well is it done?” In the case of Ladan, the
answer is: “Poorly.”

Ladan has clearly got his eye on sophisticated contemporary developments overseas
and his work shows a fervent desire to be “with it.” In my view, it isn’t. For all its
extroversion there remains something ironically sad about this naïve tearing after
contemporary effects without having mastered the discipline achieved by those who
initiated them.

While his talent in monotypes was widely recognized his passion was increasingly directed
to nail mosaics, a medium in which he was to enjoy great success as the pioneer of the art

in South Africa. The inspiration for his circular, parabolic, sinuous, and wavy patterns often

came from sea creatures: sea-horses, crabs, anemones and squids which he then transmuted
into lines of nails. The first step in producing a mosaic was to work out the pattern on graph

paper and then mark it out on the blockboard into which the nails would be hammered.
“You can’t keep knocking nails in and pulling them out. It would make a hell of a mess.”

Nails come in different materials, lengths, diameters, head types, and colours and these
were selected for the required textural and shadow effects. The pattern was commenced

from the centre working towards the edges of the board. He worked with a swinging lamp

beside him constantly checking the shadows cast by the nails because the lighting and the
texture of the final product would be key to its kinetic properties.

By 1966 he was ready for his first nail exhibition and this took place at Gallery 101 in

Johannesburg. The art critic of the Star commented: “One cannot but admire the driving

force, the tenacity of purpose, that can spur a man on to complete a nail mosaic the size of
a fakir’s bed and weighing 400 lb., armed only with the spirit of creation.”