LIZA GROBLER

(b. 1974 Cape Town, South Africa)

‘Reality is always shifting and, as an attempt to make sense of it, so am I.’ – Liza Grobler

After many years of living in Cape Town city centre, Liza Grobler now resides in Oudtshoorn in the Klein Karoo. As a compulsive constructor of alternative landscapes and realities, she explores ideas that bring together physical and psychological spaces and historical and ecological scapes. Her practice is built around process; creating a tension between the materiality and ephemerality of media. She invites the viewer to take a leap of faith and step into these constructive worlds alongside her. 

Grobler is the recipient of a KANNA Award for her Visual Contribution to the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival (2023). In  2022, she was awarded the Centre Luigi di Sarro VAA Award (Italy) for her short film ‘Voices From a Divided Fountain’. In 2016, she was a recipient of the Africa Centre Award and Iziko Museums commissioned a site-specific work for the exhibition ‘Women’s Work’ at the South African National Gallery. 

Other career highlights include: a solo exhibition at Rauma Art Museum, Finland (2024), a solo project for Cape Town International Art Fair (2017), a commissioned public artwork for Cape Town International Design Capital (2015) and the screening of her short film ‘Voices from a Divided Fountain’ as part of a travelling exhibition in Serbia (2019). Two other films, ‘21st Century Family Portrait’ and ‘Diary of a Nanosatellite’, were respectively screened at the ADDIS International Video Arts Festival (Ethiopia & Cape Town) and at MOFO for Forever Now (Tasmania and Deep Space, 2015). She was nominated for The Norval Sovereign African Art Prize (2021+22), Helgaard Steyn National Award for Contemporary Painting (2015), as well as short-listed for the Commonwealth Arts and Craft Award (2006). She has attended residencies in Norway, Finland, Switzerland, Serbia, Belgium, France, Mexico, India, the United States and initiated an interdisciplinary international residency in Cape Town and Richmond, South Africa (2017). 

Grobler has been invited to the Asian international Art Biennial in Bangladesh which will take place in 2025, and she is Festival Curator for the KKNK for 2025 - 2027. Exhibitions include solo exhibitions in South Africa, Finland and Belgium and various international art fairs, site-specific projects and group exhibitions. She is represented by Everard Read (Cape Town, Johannesburg, Franschhoek, London). 

 

QUALIFICATIONS

1999 Master’s Degree in Visual Arts (cum laude), Stellenbosch University, South Africa

1996 Bachelor’s Degree in Visual Arts, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

 

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2024   

An Aloe swallowed my drone, Rauma Art Museum, Finland

An Elephant Stepped on my phone, Everard Read Leeu Estate, Franschhoek

2023

Inkommers, laatkommers & laatlammers, KKNK Festival, Oudtshoorn, South Africa

2022   

The razor-sharp reasoning of tinted skies, Everard Read, Cape Town 

2021  

Voices from Deelfontein, Everard Read, Franschhoek, South Africa

Disobedient Landscapes, Uitstalling, Ghent, Belgium

2020  

Voices from a Divided Fountain, site-specific installation at 139 Albert, Woodstock, in association Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

2019

a rainbow in my pocket, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

2018

En die groen gras groei daar om, Aardklop Festival, Potchefstroom, South Africa  

2017

Ripples of Perception, CIRCA Gallery Johannesburg, South Africa 

Maybe Time Can Fold, CIRCA Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa

Barbed Wire Paradise is exactly where you are, Investec Cape Town Art Fair (Unframed Section), with Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

2015

If you go down to the woods today, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

Playlist, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa

2014

Blindfolded Line, Dancing Through Time, a national touring exhibition: Oliewenhuis Museum, Bloemfontein; KZNSA, Durban;  Johannesburg Art Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa

2013

Interrupted Daydreams, Spier, Stellenbosch, South Africa

2012

White Termite, Brundyn & Gonsalves, Cape Town, South Africa

2010

Visitor (The Square): a Solo Exhibition in Two Parts, iArt Wembley Project Space and iArt Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa

2009

Visitor, Irma Stern Museum, Cape Town, South Africa

2007

9 Chicks & a Dick, AVA, Cape Town, South Africa

2005

Groeisel #1, Outlet, Pretoria, South Africa

2004

Play with me, AVA, Cape Town, South Africa

2003

I can't see the wood for the trees, so I'm taking a line for a very long walk, João Ferreira, Cape Town, South Africa

2002

Almost a Valentine, Chelsea Gallery, Wynberg, South Africa

2000

The garbage men wear gloves, Chelsea Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2023  

25 Years Knysna Fine Art Anniversary Exhibition, Knysna Fine Art, Knysna  

What I Feel When I Think About The Cosmos, Everard Read, Franschhoek, South Africa

Investec Cape Town Art Fair, with Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

Collide, Featherstone Centre for the Arts, Massachusetts, USA

2022     

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

2021     

Spring Show , Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa

Offering, Everard Read, Franschhoek, South Africa

Transitory Terrain, Everard Read, London, UK

The side-effects of summer, Art Bureau Collective, Woodstock

Paint it Black, curated by Harrie Siertsema for Aardklop Festival (2019), travelling to museums in South Africa including Pretoria Art Museum, currently at William Humphrey Museum in Kimberley

Conversations, at Everard Read Gallery, Cape Town

Transitory Terrain, Everard Read Galllery, Franschhoek

The Troubled Archive, The Labyrinth Project, curated by Wayne Matthews and Alison Shaw, Johannesburg

2020 

Investec Cape Town Art Fair, with Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

TINY, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa

On Being, Everard Read, Franschhoek, South Africa

STILL, Everard Read online exhibition, South Africa & UK

Matereality, IZIKO South African National Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa

Hard, but Soft, curated by Pierre le Riche, Glen Carlou, Stellenbosch, South Africa

2019

hybrid narratives, hybrid histories, U10 Art Space, Belgrade, Serbia

Verf dit swart / Paint it Black, Modern Art Projects South Africa, Aardklop Festival, Potchefstroom, South Africa

Forward? Forward! Forward…., Stellenbosch University centenary exhibition, US Museum, Stellenbosch, South Africa

CONTEXT Art Miami, with Everard Read, Miami, USA

Winter, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

2018    

Buffer Zone, video art night, Platform Project Space, Vaasa, Finland

Common Threads, international textile exhibition, 99 Juta, Johannesburg, South Africa

FLUX, Free State Festival, Bloemfontein, South Africa

In the Forest of the Night, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa

Winter Show, Everard Read Cape Town, South Africa

100, AIUD, Romania

INC Art Collection Celebrate 10 years, Haitian American Museum of Chicago, Chicago, USA

Investec Cape Town Art Fair, with Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

2017-8

Smokey Signals from the Groot Karoo, MAPSA Richmond and Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

Romulus Rebus: Imaging Empires, Priest Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa

African Abstraction, Everard Read, London, South Africa

SocialFabrics SA, finissage Cape Town, South Africa

2016

Coriolis Effect: Migration and Memory, KHOJ Studios, New Delhi

Women’s work, South African National Gallery, curated by Ernestine White Town, Cape Town, South Africa

Winter Collection, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

The Space Between/The Noise Behind, a two person show with Norman O'Flynn, Fried Contemporary, Pretoria, South Africa

Ímago Mundi, Luciano Benetton Collection', New York, USA.

Investec Cape Town Art Fair, with Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

AKAA Art Fair, Paris, France

Den Fair, with Otomys Gallery, Melbourne, Australia

2015

ADDIS Video Art Festival, Ethiopia

San Juanita Project: Re-examining borders, Haitian American Museum of Chicago, Chicago, USA

Homage, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

Ímago Mundi – Luciano Benetton Collection, Venice, Italy

Nando's Rites and Duties, Constitution Hill, Johannesburg, South Africa

Decor-Z, Spier Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa

Constructions, GRID International Photography Biennial, Cape Town, South Africa

Empire, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

Forever Now, at MOMA FOMA, New Media Festival, Tasmania

1:54 African Art Fair, work in association Qubeka Bead Studio, Spier Arts Trust, London, UK 

Turbine Art Fair, with Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa

2014

Winter Sculpture Show, Nirox Foundation, Krugersdorp, South Africa

Open Studios at the Cite Internationale des Arts, Paris, France

International Union of Architecture World Congress, Durban, South Africa

2013

5 Years in Print, Warren Editions, Cape Town, South Africa
Chance favours the Connected Mind, with Barbara Wildenboer, Amelia Johnson Contemporary, Hong Kong

Stellenbosch Revisited, co-curated with Marna Hattingh for Die Woordfees, Stellenbosch, South Africa

2012

Tjorts/Cheers! drawings after a poem by Danie Marais, co-curated with Marna Hattingh, AVA, Cape Town, South Africa

Johannesburg Art Fair, Brundyn+, Johannesburg, South Africa

2011

Alptraum, Travelling drawing exhibition: Berlin, Los Angeles, Cape Town, South Africa

Open Books, iArt Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa

Collection 13, SMAC Art Gallery Cape Town, South Africa

2010

Divisions: Aspects of South African Art (1948-2010), SMAC Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa

The Menippean Uprising, curated by Pierre Fouché and Hentie van der Merwe, Blank Projects, Cape Town, South Africa

Frans Masereel Centre Annual Printmaking Show, Kasterlee, Belgium

Twenty Years of South African Sculpture, curated by Andrew Lamprecht, Nirox Sculpture Park, South Africa

2009

Black: the antithesis of the fraudulent sensuality of culture's façade, Blank Projects, Cape Town, South Africa

Warren Editions, Monotypes and etchings, at Curious, Whetstone and Frankley, Cape Town, South Africa

2008

The Bijou Burns Again, UCA Gallery, Observatory, South Africa

Women in Craft, Spier Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa

2007

Common Ground, Lönnstrom Contemporary Art Museum in collaboration with Jeanne Hoffman, Rauma, Finland

South African Art on Paper, Gallery Barry Keldoulis, Sydney, Australia

TACT, Artspace, Pretoria, South Africa

2006

STEEK, a two-person exhibition with Barend de Wet, Blank Projects, Cape Town, South Africa

ROEM, curated by Sandra Hanekom, interactive sculptures for ‘Die Storm’, KKNK, Oudtshoorn, South Africa

Flesh! curated by Chris Diedericks, KKNK, Oudtshoorn, South Africa

the blank paper project as part of Cape 07, Blank Projects, Cape Town, South Africa

Just like home in collaboration with Norman O’ Flynn, Solothurn, Switzerland

2006 travelling exhibition, coordinated by Norman O’Flynn, Bell-Roberts Contemporary, Cape Town & Art on Paper, Johannesburg, South Africa

2005

Of Want and Desire, João Ferreira Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa

Cape Biennale at blank projects, curated by Andrew Lamprecht, Cape Town, South Africa

The 5th International Florence Biennial for Contemporary Art, Fortezza da Basilica, Florence, Italy

Synergy, Michaelis Collection contemporary beaded designs- a history of beads in Africa, Iziko Museum, Cape Town, South Africa

2004

The Art of Drawing, Durbanville Cultural Centre, Durbanville, South Africa

2002

Low Rider, Polvo Art Studio, Chicago, USA

2000

Majority Rules, Free Gallery, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

YEA-R 2000, Chelsea Gallery, Wynberg, South Africa

SELECTED SITE-SPECIFIC PROJECTS

2023

DROOM, with the ReWOLusie Crochet Project, KKNK Festival, Oudtshoorn, South Africa

2022

Desert Dictionary, contributor, a project by Boris Baltschun. Richmond, South Africa

2020

Voices from a Divided Fountain, vacant industrial building in Woodstock, in association Everard Read Gallery

Barbed Wire Paradise, die Woordfees, Stellenbosch

Dance Dialogue, a series of responsive drawing and marimba performances with musician Magdalena de Vries, Woodstock, online and as part of Woordfees on KykNET TV

2018

Portal at a divided fountain, immersive installation in dialogue with percussionist Heinrich Kruse, RU, New York

Rose Window, commissioned by the Spier Collection for the Material Gains exhibition, US Museum, Stellenbosch

A place in the Sun; African Leaders Conference, Stellenbosch, South Africa

2017

Seven Looms of Silence, commissioned by Trenery Group, Keyes Art Mile, Johannesburg, South Africa

2016

Barbed Wire Paradise, an immersive drawing, StudioGrob, Woodstock, South Africa

2015

Mexican Pink, Maravatio, Mexico

Diary of a Nanosatellite video included in Forever Now - launch of the Golden Record into Deep Space

2014

Cape Town World Design Capital 'Accidental Art' Public artwork for Nando's on Kloof Street, South Africa

2013

Big Brother is Stunned, Woodstock Industrial Centre, Cape Town, South Africa

2012

From Mooi Uitsig to Mooiuitsig: an Artventure, commissioned by Lien Botha for Hangklip Art Week, South Africa

2010

Cocoon, Nirox Sculpture Park, Cradle of Humankind, Johannesburg, South Africa

Imagination: for humans, The Laboratory for Recycled Revolutions, curated by Isa Suarez, Greatmore, Cape Town, South Africa

Johannesburg Art Fair, SMAC, Johannesburg, South Africa

2009

The 1-day Residency project in conjunction with ‘Visitor’ with 14 visiting artists, Irma Stern Museum, Cape Town, South Africa

Gift, a picnic and lace making performance with Pierre Fouché, Cape Town, South Africa

2007

Afrikan Tähti/ Star of Africa - public intervention after a Finnish board game, in collaboration Jeanne Hoffman, Rauma, Finland

C-Units, in collaboration with Jeanne Hoffman, Big Bay, South Africa

Icarus project, in collaboration with Norman O’ Flynn, Cape Town, South Africa

2006

Soft Rock Project, Sunset Beach, Cape Town, South Africa

Teardrop Project, Solothurn, Switzerland, South Africa

Heritage Cache, a site-specific group project coordinated by Cobus van Bosch and Arlene Amaler-Raviv, Cape Town, South Africa

2005

Groeisel no. 2, a crocheting performance and installation at the Aardklop Arts Festival, curated by Abrie Fourie, Potchefstroom, South Africa

2004

D.I.E.N.S. in collaboration Pierre Fouché, Norman O’Flynn & Johan Thom, KKNK, Oudtshoorn, South Africa

2003

Excess: Proudly South African, in collaboration with Jesus Macarena-Avila, Cape Town, South Africa

2002

Momentary Monument, in collaboration with art students, Rauma, Finland 

Music Concrete, YDEsire, in collaboration with Jeanne Hoffman, the Cape of Good Hope Castle, Cape Town, South Africa

Fantastic Rubbish, a mixed media installation, World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg, South Africa

2001

R.I.P, in collaboration with Jeanne Hoffman, Durbanville, South Africa

Forest Cross, Dalsãsen forest, Norway

1999

Oos Wes, Tuis Bes, curated by Mark Coetzee and Leze Hugo, Oudtshoorn Arts Festival, Oudtshoorn, South Africa

AWARDS & RESIDENCIES

2024 Shortlisted for Fiësta Award, best Visual Art contribution 

2023 Best Visual Arts Contribution, KKNK Festival, Oudtshoorn, South Africa

2022 Winner, Video Art Award, Centro Luigi Di Sarro, Rome, Italy

2018 Residency Unlimited, New York, New York

2017 Smokey Signals from the Groot Karoo; project coordinator and collaborator

2016 Laureate of AIR African Centre Residency, Khoj International Artists' Association, New Delhi, India

2015 Nominated for Helgaard Steyn National Award for contemporary painting

Short-listed for Headlands Centre Residency, San Francisco

Residency at Guapamacátaro Center for Art & Ecology, Maravatio, Mexico

Site-specific commission for Nando's US, Chicago

Social Fabric SA Residency in Port Elizabeth, SAMIL

2014 Selected Artist for World Design Capital Cape Town, project #522 for public art

Cité des Arts Residency, Paris

2013 Shortlisted for Woordfees Visual Arts Award, Stellenbosch

2010 ABSA Atelier top 100 (also 2001, -5, -6, -8. -9)

2009 Frans Masereel Printmaking Residency, Kastelee, Belgium

2006 Pro-Helvetia Residency, Altes Spital, Solothurn, Switzerland

Short-listed for Commonwealth Arts and Craft Award

2005 Selected for AVA Public Sculpture Competition

Selected for 3rd Brett Kebble Art Competition

2004 ARTOMI International Artists' Residency, Hudson, New York, USA

2003-4 Artist-in-residence, Greatmore Art Studios, Cape Town

2002 Rauma Artists' in Residence, Finland

2001 Recipient of UNESCO Ashberg Bursary: Nordic Artists' Centre Dale, Norway

SELECTED PANELS, FORUMS, TEACHING, CURATION

 

2020   Selection panel for Joburg Fringe, Johannesburg

2019   ‘Forward’ round table discussion, art and the future of education, Stellenbosch University Museum

2018 Themes: Making, guest speaker, performance lecture for Iziko Museums, South Africa

2017  Women’s work, public discussion panel, Iziko National Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa

2015 *imagetext* forum, Department of Visual Arts UP, Van Wouw Museum, Pretoria, South Africa

           Regional judge for Barclays National Art Competition, Cape Town, South Africa

2005-15 Opening speaker for numerous exhibitions, including GRADEX (2008, Stellenbosch University), CRISP Fresh Talent Competition (2007, ArtB) and World Design Capital project #522 (2014), South Africa

2013-15 External examiner for postgraduate students: MPhil, MAFA and MFA –  Stellenbosch University & University of Cape Town, South Africa

2012 The Names We Give – conference, Gordon Institute for the Performing and Creative Arts, Cape Town, South Africa

2009-10 Third year Drawing Lecturer, Visual Arts Department, University of Stellenbosch, South Africa

2008–13 Lecturer/coordinator for Representation 1, Architecture, Planning and the Built Environment, University of Cape Town, South Africa

2008 SASOL New Signatures Regional Adjudicator, Cape Town, South Africa

2007-8 Lecturer History of Fashion I-III Years, Haute Couture School of Fashion, Cape Town, South Africa

2006-09 Moderator, Visual Arts, College of Cape Town, South Africa

2006 External examiner, Diploma Dissertations, Ruth Prowse School of Art, Woodstock, South Africa

2005 Co-founder with Jonathan Garnham of Blank Projects, Cape Town, South Arica

2002-04 Art b. selection and managerial committee, Art b Gallery, Bellville, South Africa

2001, 09 Guest Lecturer: 1st year Visual Communication, Stellenbosch University, South Africa

COLLECTIONS

Work included in the following corporate collections: Hollard (Insurance), Nando's UK, Nando's US , Nando's SA, Spier (South Africa), Frans Masereel Centre (Belgium), Francis Greenberger Collection US, City of Cape Town,  Luciano Benetton Collection (Italy) and in private collections in South Africa, France, Switzerland, America, Mexico, Spain, Germany, England and Norway.

 

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

2023    never a full stop... , monograph published in association Everard Read Gallery for the Main Festival artist at the Klein Karoo National Arts Festival

2022    M. Minnaar. Sy toor met weef, brei, vleg en toue, Die Burger, 24 May 2022.

2021    New Glass Review 41, p.59; Corning Museum of Glass, New York

2020    T. Leibrandt. Ghost in the Hotel: on James Webb, Guy Tillem and Liza Grobler 

2019    M. Krynauw. Moments, Movement and Memory, ARTTHROB, October 2019

2017    MAPSA. Smokey Signals from the Groot Karoo catalogue

2016    L. Grobler. ART AFRICA The Coriolis Effect: Migration, Memory and the 2016 Khoj International Artists’ Association, September 2016 

2016    J. Graham, SLOW MAGAZINE, edition 32 (p. 31-35) 2016

           Jamal. ART AFRICA online 

2015    L. Grobler. ‘Mexican Pink’, contributing article for Art Africa magazine, September 2015

   Jolly. ‘If you Go Down to The Wood Today’, Cape Times, 20 April 2015

2014   ‘Blindfolded Line, Dancing Through Time’, a limited-edition book on the work of Liza Grobler with contributions by Amanda Botha, Andrew Lamprecht and Jeanetta Blignaut,