Page 156 - Bulletin 13 2009
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The enthusiasm and wonder expressed by one visitor in a letter to the Argus (24 October)
may well have captured the reaction of many:
Sir - Eduard Ladan’s exhibition of ‘Nail Mosaics’ is something completely extraordinary in
the best sense – a vital and magnetic show. One can hardly believe what one sees, and from
various angles the mosaics appear so different that one begins to doubt what one actually is
seeing. The effect is heightened by the use of a revolving light playing on certain exhibits.
I am sure you have very many readers interested in art who would enjoy seeing this
exhibition. For my part, I have been several times.
(Mrs) Olga Kemp
Sea Point
These were golden years for Eddie. His work fitted the zeitgeist. It was the time of the pop
generation – the Beatles, and the social and sexual revolutions – and in nail art he made his
biggest impact and gained his greatest publicity. With headlines like “Throw in a few
washers and rivets and presto! You’ve got a picture”, and statements to the effect that his
palette was now the hardware store and his brush a hammer – publicity was guaranteed.
When asked about the public reaction to his work he said: “Well, one chap came in and
said he could get a carpenter to do the same thing for R20. So I offered to employ that
carpenter!”
Many of his panels were the size of doors, and one had more than 16,500 nails in it – an
enormous amount of very detailed work. In 1973 the National Gallery purchased a nail
work entitled “Power Light”. He hoped to win significant commissions in this new field
with panels that would not hang on walls like pictures but rather become part of the
architecture of buildings:
