GUY DU TOIT

BIOGRAPHY

DU TOIT, GUY (c) Damian Griffiths (8) B@W
GUY PIERRE DU TOIT
(b. 1958 Rustenburg, South Africa)
 

Guy du Toit graduated from the University of Pretoria with a BA (Fine Art) Degree, receiving a distinction in sculpture. He 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 several institutions, including Pelmama Academy in Soweto, Pretoria University, Johannesburg and Pretoria Technikon, 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.

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. Du Toit’s hares have also become a popular series exploring form through playful bronze renderings of hares who sit and ponder their thoughts, play, dance or box with each other - each holding a unique character and endearing quality. 

 
EDUCATION
 
1982        BAFA, University of Pretoria, with a distinction in sculpture 


SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
 
2026        WORDS, WORDS, WORDS, group exhibition, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa
2025        Hare Necessities, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa
2024        INNER SANCTUM, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa
2023        Hare & Now, solo, Everard Read, Franschhoek, South Africa
2022        3D in 22: South African Contemporary Sculpture, group show, 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 and Everywhere, Everard Read, Johannesburg
                Bronze, Steel & Stone II, Everard Read, London, UK 
2015        Bronze, Steel and Stone, Everard Read, Johannesburg
2014        Sculpture of Summer III, group show, Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa
                Southern Guild and Design, Basel Miami, USA
                The Orchard Walk, Tokara Wine Estate sculpture garden, South Africa
2013         Centenary Exhibition, Everard Read, Johannesburg
                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), SA Arts Association, Pretoria, South Africa
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
1993         Winner of FNB Vita Art Now Prize, Johannesburg, South Africa
                 Natural History Museum, Taipei, Taiwan 
                 Solo Exhibition, Everard Read Contemporary, Johannesburg, South Africa
1990         Sol Plaatje Sculpture Award Exhibition, Mafikeng, South Africa 
1989         Images of Wood, Johannesburg Art Gallery, South Africa


SELECTED AWARDS
 
1994         Kempton Park/Tembisa Annual Art Competition, Third Prize
1993         FNB Vita Art Now, Overall Winner
1990         Volkskas Atelier, Merit Award
1989         Sol Plaatje 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


COLLECTIONS
 
ABSA
Alexander Forbes 
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research 
Foundation for the Creative Arts 
Gencor/Billiton 
Gauteng Provincial Administration 
Human Sciences Research Council
Durban Art Gallery 
Mercedes Benz 
Nampower
Namibia Art Museum 
National Gallery, Cape Town 
Pelmama Permanent Art Collection 
Pietersburg Art Gallery 
Port Elizabeth Art Gallery 
Pretoria Art Museum 
Durban Technikon 
Pretoria Technikon 
Pretoria Boys High School 
RMB
SABC 
SANDF 
Sasol Art Collection 
Sasol Bloemfontein Museum 
St Mary’s Girls School, Johannesburg 
UNISA 
University of the Free State 
University of the Witwatersrand 
University of Natal 
University of Pretoria 
Velocity Films 
Virgin Airlines 
Wits Business School 
Wooltru 
Women’s Monument, Union Building