GUY DU TOIT

(b. 1958 Rustenburg, South Africa)

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 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 revelling 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

2022        3D in 22: South African Contemporary Sculpture, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa

                Spring, group show, Everard Read, Franschhoek, South Africa

                Things I’d like to remember, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

                Summer Sculpture Exhibition, group show, Riverhill Gardens, UK

2021        Oasis, 25th anniversary exhibition, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

                Spring show, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa

                On A Roll, solo, 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

              Odyssey, online group show, Everard Read, South Africa & 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 & Everywhere, solo show at Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa

             Southern Guild and Design, Basel Miami, USA

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.