GUY DU TOIT 
(b.1958, Rustenburg, South Africa)

Guy du Toit’s apparent irreverence can obfuscate the fact that he is undoubtedly one of South Africa’s most accomplished sculptors. With the advent of democracy in South Africa, du Toit shifted his attention from notions of identity to pursuits such as revelling in form, concept and media for their own sake.

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 their own narrative. The artist’s hares have resonated with audiences universally as he explores form through playful bronze renderings of hares who sit and ponder their thoughts, play leapfrog, dance or ride a skateboard - each with a unique character and endearing quality.

Du Toit graduated from the University of Pretoria with a BA (Fine Art) Degree and a distinction in sculpture. He uses a wide range of media including bronze, stone, wood and steel, and draws in pen, ink and charcoal. He has exhibited extensively, both in his native South Africa and internationally, and has been consistently supported by private and public collectors, institutions, academics and fellow artists.

Honoured with several awards, du Toit 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.

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

2023
Hare and Now, Everard Read Franschhoek, South Africa

2022
Summer Exhibition 2022, Everard Read, London, UK
Winter 2022|23, Everard Read, London, UK
Summer Sculpture Exhibition, Riverhill Gardens, Everard Read, London, UK
Things I'd Like To Remember: A Group Exhibition, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
Spring | A Group Show, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa
Summer | A Group Show, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa

2021
GUY DU TOIT: On a Roll, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
Solo, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
Summer 2021, Everard Read, London, UK
Winter 2021|22, Everard Read, London, UK
Offering, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa

2020
Winter 2020, Everard Read, London, UK
And all the hares came out to play, Everard Read Gallery, Johannesburg
Bronze, Steel, Stone & Bone, group exhibition, Everard Read, London, UK
Staring Straight to the Future, Everard Read, London, UK
Odyssey, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
Still, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
IMAGO, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa
A Celebration of Fine Sculpture, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa

2019
SUMMER, Everard Read, London, UK
Winter 2019, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

2018
Guy Du Toit: Good Hare Day, Everard Read Gallery, London, UK
Summer 2018, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa

2017
Summer Exhibition, Everard Read Gallery, London, UK
Bronze, Steel and Stone, Everard Read Gallery, London, UK

2016
Solo exhibition, Everard Read Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
Bronze, Steel and Stone, Everard Read Gallery, London, UK

2014
Sculpture Summer III, 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, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
After the Rainbow Nation, Nirox Sculpture Park, Gauteng, South Africa

2012
Small Works, group show at Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
Solo show, Tokara, Cape Town, South Africa

2011
The Length of a Piece of String, Everard Read Gallery, 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, Everard Read Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
Twenty, Nirox Sculpture Park, Gauteng, South Africa
Two Thousand and Ten Reasons to Live in a Small Town, group show, VANSA

2009
Sex, Power, Money, Everard Read Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
3, with Wilma Cruise & Gordon Froud, Naude Modern, Pretoria, South Africa

2007
Little Deaths, Fried Contemporary, Pretoria, South Africa
Figures in a Landscape, 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, South Africa

2003
Earthworks/Claybodies (with Deborah Bell, Wilma Cruise, Josephine Ghesa), Pretoria Art Museum, Pretoria, South Africa

2001
Observations, 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 Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa (also 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

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