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

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

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