The Fish Hoek Valley Historical Association will host artist David Brits, grandson of John Wood, the renowned herpetologist and "snake man" of the SA Snake Farm in Sunnydale.
David will be giving a talk about his grandfather's life and legacy, at the Fish Hoek library on Thursday March 13, at 5.30pm.
According to the association, back in the day, a snake in your garden or even your home would immediately elicit the response: "Call John Wood the snake man.”
Mr Wood, who was known as a world authority on snakes, was a household name in the far south, and the fact that he survived being bitten by cobras on four separate occasions made him a hero.
Mr Brits will share how events during World War II led his grandfather, Mr Wood, to Sunnydale. He will discuss Mr Wood's significant contribution to the development of the South African polyvalent serum, still used today in the treatment of snake bites.
Additionally, he will talk about the spitting cobra named after his grandfather, Mr Wood's role in training and employing local residents to catch snakes and become snake showmen, as well as his contributions to the study of ecology. These are just a few of the many fascinating and captivating stories to be shared.
A picture of John Wood, renowned herpetologist and "snake man" of the SA Snake Farm in Sunnydale.
Image: Fish Hoek Valley Historical Association
John Wood was known as the far south's "snake man".
Image: Fish Hoek Valley Historical Association
Mr Brits was brought up in Sunnydale. He studied at UCT's Michaelis School of Fine Art and has held numerous solo exhibitions using mediums of printmaking, painting, photography and public sculpture art.
He has won numerous awards, notably the Rupert Art Foundation's Inaugural Social Impact Arts Prize.
In 2015, after the death of Mr Wood at the age of 98, Mr Brits decided to commemorate the life of his grandfather with an exhibition titled Snake Man.
His work for this exhibition took inspiration from the large archive of photographs, films, newspaper cuttings, poems and priceless work that Mr Wood left behind.
He contemplated the life of his grandfather, his legacy and the perennial power of the snake in the exhibition.
Entry costs R20 for members and R30 for non-members payable in cash at the door.
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