GUY PIERRE DU TOIT

(b. 1958 Rustenburg, South Africa)

  

"My objects come from my immediate environment, selected for their non-heroic, open-ended meaning.  Bells, for instance, may refer either to slavery or liberty. My overriding concern is that of reality and illusion; the fusing of Western and African realities is somehow reflected in this ambiguity."

 

Guy du Toit uses a wide range of media in his sculptures, including bronze, stone, wood and steel, and draws in pen, ink and charcoal. He has exhibited extensively, both locally and internationally, and has been consistently supported by private and public collectors, institutions, academics and fellow artists.  

Honoured with several awards, he curates and adjudicates exhibitions and lectures at a number of institutions, including Pelmama Academy in Soweto, Pretoria University, Johannesburg and Pretoria Technicons, and the Johannesburg School of Art, Ballet, Drama and Music.  He gives workshops throughout South Africa and has been involved in community projects, seminars and symposia. 

The past few years have increasingly been spent on private and public commissions and in working closely with artists and businesses, especially those involved in design, communications, architecture, advertising and entertainment. Guy currently teaches part-time at the University of Pretoria and works full-time from his new home and studio in Swavelpoort.

Guy du Toit’s apparent irreverence can obfuscate the fact that he is undoubtedly one of South Africa’s most accomplished sculptors. “Liberated” (as he says) by the advent of democracy in South Africa from having to concern himself and his art with the notions of identity, he has happily turned his attention to “less provincial” pursuits like reveling in form, concept and media for their own sakes. Du Toit uses the unexpected juxtaposition of bronze casts of universal, everyday found (and made-to-look-found) objects to invite his audience to invent dialogue themselves.

 

EDUCATION

Graduated from the University of Pretoria BA (Fine Art) Degree 1982 with a distinction in sculpture. 

 

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2021

On A Roll, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

Summer 2021, Everard Read, London, UK

2020

And all the hares came out to play, Everard Read Gallery, Johannesburg

Bronze, Steel, Stone & Bone, group exhibition, Everard Read, London, UK

2019

Winter, group exhibition, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

Vertical Animal, group exhibition, Hermanus Fyn Arts Festival, Hermanus, South Africa

2018

Good Hare Day, solo, Everard Read, London, UK

2017

Off the wall, group exhibition, Everard Read Gallery, Johannesburg

2016   

Hare There and Everywhere, Everard Read, Johannesburg 

2014   

Sculpture Summer III, group show at Mount Nelson Hotel, with Everard Read,    Cape Town, South Africa

Southern Guild and Design, Basel Miami, USA

The Orchard Walk, Tokara Wine Estate sculpture garden, South Africa

2013  

Possessed, group show, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

After the Rainbow Nation, group show, Nirox Sculpture Park, Gauteng, South Africa

2012   

Small Works, group show at Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

Solo show at Tokara, Cape Town, South Africa

2011        

The Length of a Piece of String, solo show at Everard Read, Cape Town, South    Africa

Surplus to requirements, group exhibition, Slade School of Fine Art, South Africa

Alchemy, group exhibition, Upstairs @ Bamboo, Johannesburg, South Africa

History, group show, Fried Contemporary, Pretoria, South Africa

2010   

View from the South, group show at Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

Twenty,  group show, Nirox Sculpture Park, Gauteng, South Africa

Two Thousand and Ten Reasons to Live in a Small Town, group show, VANSA

2009 

Sex, Power, Money, group show at Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

3, with Wilma Cruise & Gordon Froud, Naude Modern, Pretoria, South Africa

2007  

Little Deaths, three person show, Fried Contemporary, Pretoria, South Africa

Figures in a Landscape, with Johann du Plessis, Gallery at Grande Provence,    Franschhoek, South Africa 

2004   

Three person exhibition (with Johan Moolman and Ivan du Toit). Gordart.   Johannesburg. South Africa

Two person exhibition (with Judith Mason). South African Arts Association.  Pretoria 

2003    

Earthworks/Claybodies. (with Deborah Bell, Wilma Cruise, Josephine Ghesa).    Pretoria Art Museum, South Africa

2001   

Observations, Group show with Wilma Cruise & Diane Victor.

The Open Window, Pretoria, South Africa

2000    

Strata. An exhibition with Egon Tania. Bamboo, Johannesburg, South Africa 

1999   

Objects of Desire. The Open Window Contemporary Art Gallery, Pretoria, South   Africa

Conversation, The Open Window Contemporary Art Gallery, Pretoria, South Africa

1988  

Klein Karoo National Art Festival, Oudtshoorn, South Africa

Prestige Exhibition, The Association of the Friends of the Pretoria Art Museum, South Africa

1996    

Opening Exhibition, Open Window Art Academy, Pretoria, South Africa 

1995   

Images of Metal, South African Touring Exhibition, South Africa

Space/(Dis)place, Africus Biennial, Electric Workshop, Johannesburg, South Africa

1994   

Contemporary Art from South Africa. Deutsche Aerospace, Munich, Germany 

Art Alive 94, Ruddell Theatre, Pretoria, South Africa

Moving Experiences, Everard Read Contemporary, Johannesburg. Toured Holland   and Germany

Kempton Park/Tembisa Annual Art Competition (Third Prize)

1993   

FNB Vita Art Now, Johannesburg (Overall Winner)

Natural History Museum. Taipei, Republic of China 

Solo Exhibition, Everard Read Contemporary, Johannesburg, South Africa

1990   

Volkskas Atelier Competition. (Merit Award) 

Sol Plaatjie Sculpture Award Exhibition. Mafikeng, South Africa 

1989   

Images of Wood,  Johannesburg Art Gallery, South Africa

 

AWARDS

1994   

Kempton Park/Tembisa Annual Art Competition, Third Prize

1993    

FNB Vita Art Now, Overall Winner 

1990   

Volkskas Atelier, Merit Award 

1989    

Sol Plaatjie Sculpture Award, Sculpture Award

1988    

Volkskas Atelier, Merit Award

International Exhibition of Miniature Art, del Bello Gallery, Toronto, Honorary    Mention 

1987   

Style Lighting Design Award, Lighting Award 

Hans Merensky Foundation Wood Sculpture Competition, Merit Award

Corona del Mar Young Artist Award, Sculpture Award 

1986   

Vita Art Now

1985   

Hans Merensky Foundation Wood Sculpture Competition, Joint winner with Koos den Houten

Johannesburg Art Museum Centenary Sculpture Competition, Finalist 

1983    

Emil Schweikerdt Bursary for a study tour of Europe

1982    

New Signatures, Sculpture Prize 

Honorary Mention National Fine Arts Students Exhibition, University of the Witwatersrand

 

PUBLIC AND CORPORATE COLLECTIONS

SasolBloemfontein Museum

Durban Art Gallery 

Namibia Art Museum 

National Gallery, Cape Town

Pelmama Permanent Art Collection 

Pietersburg Art Gallery

Port Elizabeth Art Gallery

Pretoria Art Museum 

Durban Technicon 

Pretoria Technicon

Pretoria Boys High School 

St. Mary’s Girls School, Johannesburg 

UNISA

University of the Free State

University of the Witwatersrand

University of Natal 

University of Pretoria 

ABSA

Alexander Forbes 

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research

Foundation for the Creative Arts

Gauteng Provincial Administrator

Gencor/Billiton

Human Sciences Research Council 

Mercedes Benz 

Nampower

SABC

SANDF

Sasol Art Collection

Velocity Films

Virgin Airlines

Wits Business School

Wooltru

Gauteng Provincial Administration 

Women’s Monument, Union Building