BIOGRAPHY
ANGUS TAYLOR
(b. 1970, Pretoria, South Africa)
“You can only write poetry in a language you know.” – Angus Taylor
Angus Taylor is known for his powerful, often monumental, sculptural works made from materials from his immediate environment - Belfast granite, red jasper and the orange earth found near Johannesburg. Although he references traditional South African crafting techniques, his works are unmistakably contemporary. Taylor’s craftsmanship, bold and visionary approach and his original use of materials has resulted in many ambitious public and private commissions around the world.
Taylor is a graduate of the University of Pretoria, which awarded him an Alumni Laureate in 2005. He currently teaches part-time at the University of Pretoria and served as advisor to the Tshwane University of Technology.
In 1997, Taylor established Dionysus Sculpture Works, a studio and workshop combining all aspects of sculpture production: from conceptualisation to clay modelling, carving to casting. He casts his own and other prominent sculptors’ work including Deborah Bell, Norman Catherine and Sam Nhlenghthwa, and also nurtures the talent of young and developing artists.
In addition to numerous solo and group shows, Taylor is actively involved in producing large-scale commissions for national and local government, as well as for the private sector. These include the Solomon Mahlangu statue in Mamelodi, the statue of Chief Tshwane in front of the Pretoria City Hall, as well as the work commemorating South African anti-apartheid Afropop singer, Brenda Fassie, in Newtown Johannesburg.
In establishing a recognisable presence in the world of public art over the past decades, Taylor has harnessed aspects of monumentality combined with a fresh reassessment of materials to create his own visual idiolect. In his view of “public art without an agenda”, referring to the absence of political and cultural baggage of the past, he replaced traditional heroes with male and female figures portraying something of the heroism of the common person, transcending overt stereotypes. Therefore, his sculptures read as neither black nor white, but rather as inclusive and above all accessible and inviting forms.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2022
Upcoming - Angus Taylor & Rina Stutzer Tswalu Exhibition, Everard Read, Johannesburg
2021
Quarried Consciousness, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
2020
Immanence | Transcendence, Everard Read, London, UK
2017
In the middle of it, Everard Read, London, UK & Everard Read, Johannesburg & Cape Town, South Africa
2015
New Work, Fried Contemporary, Pretoria, South Africa
2014
From Explicit to Implicit, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa
2011
Biography of Material, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
2010
New Work, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa
Klont. Dialoog met Grond, Aardklop National Arts Festival, Potchefstroom, South Africa
2008
Momentary Permanence, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa
2006
Deduct, University of Johannesburg; University of Potchefstroom; Grande Provence Gallery, South Africa
2005
Recent Works, Artspace, Johannesburg, South Africa
2004
Solo Exhibition, Dorpstraat Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa
2003
Barefoot, Baggage Free, Bronze Age Sculpture House, SimonsTown, South Africa
Barefoot, Baggage Free, Mind’s-i, Pretoria, South Africa
2000
Africana & Other Baggage, Gallery 88, Sasolburg, South Africa
1999
Africana & Other Baggage, The Open Window Contemporary Gallery, Pretoria, South Africa
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022
Spring, group show, Everard Read, Franschhoek, South Africa
Things I’d like to remember, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
Sculpture on the Cliffs, Hermanus FynArts Festival, Hermanus, South Africa
2021
Absolutely Fabulous Spring Show, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa
In Conversation, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
2020
Odyssey, Everard Read, SA & UK
SUMMER 2020, Everard Read, London, UK
The Portrait Show, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa
Staring Straight to the Future (online exhibition in support of the Solidarity Fund), Everard Read, SA & UK
Bronze, Steel, Stone & Bone, Everard Read, London, UK
2019
Southern Aspect, Everard Read, London, UK
Masterpiece Art Fair, Everard Read, London, UK
2018
Opening exhibition, Norval Foundation, Cape Town, South Africa
2017
FNB Joburg Art Fair, Johannesburg, South Africa
Art Angels Africa Auction, London, UK
2016
Bronze, Steel & Stone, Everard Read, London, UK
A Place in Time, Nirox Foundation, Krugersdorp, South Africa
2015
Bronze, Steel & Stone, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa
1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair, with Everard Read, London, UK
FNB Art Fair, Everard Read Gallery Booth, Johannesburg, South Africa
Capital: Present, Fried Contemporary, Pretoria, South Africa
2014
FNB Art Fair, Everard Read Gallery Booth, Johannesburg, South Africa
Summer Showcase, Tokara Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa
2013
Summer of Sculpture II, Mount Nelson, with Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
Sculpt, William Humphreys Art Gallery, Kimberley, South Africa
After the Rainbow Nation, Nirox Sculpture Park, Cradle of Humankind, South Africa
FNB Art Fair, with Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa
DSW Group Exhibition, Pretoria Art Association, Pretoria, South Africa
2012
Summer of Sculpture, Mount Nelson, with Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
The Rainbow Nation, Lange Voorhout, Den Hague, Netherlands
The Winter show, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa
2009
Great South African Nude Exhibition, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa
2008
FNB Art Fair, with Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa
2007
Africa, Cork Street Gallery, London, UK
2006
Creative Creatures, Aardklop Arts Festival, Potchefstroom, South Africa
Corpus Colossus, Gordart, Johannesburg, South Africa
2005
Funky Functional, Gordart Gallery, Melville, Johannesburg, South Africa
Porn Again, Merely Mortal Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
Absa Atelier National Art Competition, Johannesburg, South Africa
Aardklop Arts Festival, Potchefstroom, South Africa
Oliewenhuis Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa
2004
Off the Record - On the Record, Gordart at The Thompson Gallery Johannesburg, South Africa
Art.co.za Gallery, Parktown North, Johannesburg, South Africa
Two Man Show, Wizards Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
2003
Dawid’s Choice, Dorp Straat Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Opening Exhibition, New ‘Bronze Age’ Sculpture House, Simon's Town, South Africa
St. Valentine’s, Group Exhibition, Mind’s-i, Pretoria, South Africa
Gallery 88, Sasolburg, South Africa
Aardklop Arts Festival, Potchefstroom, South Africa
Gordart at the Thompson Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
2002
Drawing Conclusion, curated by Diane Victor, National Art Association, Johannesburg, South Africa
WAM, Sasol Wax Group Exhibition, Sasolburg, South Africa
A Show of Angels, The Open Window Contemporary Gallery, Pretoria, South Africa
RESIDENCIES
2021 - 2022
Tswalu, AIR program, Northern Cape, South Africa
SELECTED COLLECTIONS
Beelden aan Zee Museum, The Hague, Netherlands
Pretoria Art Museum, Pretoria, South Africa
Rand Merchant Bank, South Africa
Sasol, South Africa
University of Pretoria, South Africa
University of the Freestate, South Africa
Norval Foundation, South Africa
Atterbury Head Office, South Africa
Tokara Wine Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Saronsberg Wine Estate, Tulbagh, South Africa
Leeu Collection, South Africa & UK
Ellerman House, South Africa
Oliewenhuis Museum, South Africa
North-West University, Potchefstroom
Pretoria Art Museum, South Africa
The Marvelous Collection, South Africa
Tokara Wine Estate, South Africa
William Humphreys Art Gallery, South Africa
White Rabbit Collection, Sydney, Australia
SELECTED PUBLIC ART AND COMMISSIONS
2019
Holderstebolder, carved Belfast granite, steel & concrete, Delhi, India
Sculpture Commission for “Shell House”, Johannesburg
Long ears over wheat ears, donkey ears ago, carved Belfast granite, bronze, steel & concrete, Hazendal Wine Estate, Stellenbosch
2018
Holderstebolder, carved Belfast granite, steel & concrete, Norval Foundation Museum, Cape Town The universal child, cast bronze, patina, Belfast granite, red jasper, black banded chert, Nelson Mandela Children’s Hospital, Johannesburg
Dink aan die kleure van ons klippe, “The Club”, Hazelwood, Pretoria
2017
Reflective Resonance, cast bronze, patina, Belfast granite, Sydney, Australia.
Equestrian Evolution, carved Belfast granite, steel & concrete, Kyalami Square, Kyalami
Dionysus, carved Belfast granite, steel & concrete, Tokara Wine Estate, Stellenbosch
Reflective Resonance, cast bronze, patina, Belfast granite, Botswana
2016
Portrait of a pig, cast bronze and patina, Eskort Headquarters, Irene
Homing the future, homing the past, cast bronze, steel, stainless steel, Corner Place, Pretoria
Homage to the foundation on which everything is built, carved Belfast granite, steel & concrete, 1 on Mutual, Pretoria
Entangled Head in Bronze III Sculpture Commission for Rand Merchant Bank, Sandton
Conduit, Rammed earth and stone, Saronsberg Estate, Tulbagh
2015
Three little pigs, cast concrete, bronze and patina, Stellenbosch Square
Reflective Resonance, Cast bronze & Belfast Granite, Klein Dassenberg Wine Estate, Franschhoek Belated wake (floating heads), rammed earth, cement fondu, stone, Namibia
Longview, carved Belfast Granite, Gordons Bay
2014
Lady on a donkey, Hoërskool Waterkloof, Pretoria
2013
Untitled, mixed media sculpture, Northcliff square, Johannesburg.
Untitled, mixed media installation, Hatfield Growthpoint properties, Pretoria.
Untitled, mixed media installation, Cradlestone Mall, Krugersdorp.
Adam Kok III, Life size Bronze, Heritage project, Pretoria.
2012
Van hier tot daar, permanent slate installation, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein.
Pixley Ka Seme, Life size bronze, Heritage project, Bloemfontein.
Layers of mind, mixed media sculpture, OBZ Square, University of Cape Town.
Layers of mind and metal, permanent mixed media installation, Newcastle Mall, Newcastle.
Layers of Being, The Rainbow Nation, Contemporary South African Sculpture, Lange Voorhout Museum Beelden aan zee, Den Haag
A crossing of tangible truths, Mixed media installation, Platinum square, Rustenburg
2011
Grounded,Ungrounded I and II, Bronze cast, Lynnwood Bridge, Pretoria
Grounded, Rammed Earth and Bronze cast, Eldo square, Eldoraigne, Pretoria
2010
The One Brother and the Dark Cloud, Cast bronze & stainless steel, Corner of Eastwood and Park street (by Loftus Versfeld Stadium), Pretoria
Little Mamma Africa, permanent slate installation at Atteridgeville Super Stadium in conjunction with Dionysus sculpture works
Homage to Hermes, permanent slate installation, Whistler, Vancouver, Canada
Homage to Hermes, permanent slate installation, Damme, Belgium
Homage to Hermes, permanent slate installation, Apple Mac Head Quarters, Johannesburg
Hier, a permanent slate installation at Ellerman House, Bantry Bay, Cape Town
Drift, a biodegradable installation for Aardklop, Potchefstroom Botanical Gardens
Adrift, granite head at Waterkloof Corner Shopping Centre, Pretoria
2009
Momentary Permanence, Belfast granite and bronze figures at Brooklyn bridge, Pretoria
2008
Centenary Sculptures, Granite and Bronze cast, Merensky Library walkway, University of Pretoria
Three Granite Figures, Granite, University of Pretoria
2007
Co-presence (Apollonian-Dionysian), Steel and stainless steel cast, Irene Village Mall, Centurion
AWARDS
2017 Helgaard Steyn Award for Sculpture
2010 Aardklop Festival Artist
2005 University of Pretoria, Alumni Laureate
1994 Best Sculpture Student (UP)
1994 1st Prize - PPC Young Sculptors Award
