In the course of his forty-year career, major South African artist Alexis Preller achieved national recognition and critical acclaim. Loyal admirers flocked to every exhibition by the master colourist. Yet, there were also those who were disturbed by his frequently cryptic themes and who denounced his distinctly independent and often enigmatic work. Africa, the Sun and Shadows is a fascinating and detailed account of Alexis Preller's life and artistic journey. This engrossing biography leads the reader through the twists and turns of Preller's uncompromising career and passionate private life, tracing the evolution of his fascinating iconography along the way. It is a story filled with drama and told with empathy and skill.

Alexis Preller, the renowned South African artist, comes to life in this vivid, well-researched monograph that holds the reader's attention to the very last page. Written by distinguished art historian, Esmé Berman, who was a personal friend of Preller's, this fascinating account of the artist's life and art is interwoven with the drama attendant on the twists and turns of Preller's uncompromising career and his passionate private world.