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 Hareloom, solo, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

2026 Winter Collection, Everard Read, Franschhoek, South Africa
        WORDS, WORDS, WORDS, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa

2025 Hare Necessities, solo, 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, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa
        Spring, 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, solo, 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, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
         Vertical Animal, Hermanus Fyn Arts Festival, Hermanus, South Africa

2018 Good Hare Day, solo, Everard Read, London, UK

2017 Off the wall, Everard Read Gallery, Johannesburg

2016 Hare There and Everywhere, solo, 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, Stellenbosch, South Africa

2013 Centenary Exhibition, Everard Read, Johannesburg
        Possessed, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
        After the Rainbow Nation, Nirox Sculpture Park, Gauteng, South Africa

2012 Small Works, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
        Solo, Tokara, Stellenbosch, South Africa

2011 The Length of a Piece of String, solo show at Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
        Surplus to requirements, Slade School of Fine Art, South Africa
        Alchemy, Upstairs @ Bamboo, Johannesburg, South Africa
        History, Fried Contemporary, Pretoria, South Africa

2010 View from the South, at Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
        Twenty,  Nirox Sculpture Park, Gauteng, South Africa
        Two Thousand and Ten Reasons to Live in a Small Town, VANSA

2009 Sex, Power, Money, 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, 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, Open Window Contemporary Art Gallery, Pretoria, South Africa
        Conversation, 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, 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 

Business Day

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research 

Ellerman House

First Rand Limited

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 

Rand Merchant Bank

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