André van Vuuren was born
in Benoni near Johannesburg
in 1945. After matriculating he studied graphic design at the Johannesburg
School of Art 1965-1967. He then joined the Visual Arts Research Centre- a
European-style teaching studio run by one of South Africa's leading Abstract
expressionists at the time. In 1969 he exhibited on the New Signatures
exhibition, which was held annually in Pretoria
to showcase emerging talent.
Early works were abstract expressionist, exploring line and form, in mainly
earthy tones. His first exhibition was held in 1970 in Johannesburg. In 1973 a work was accepted by
the Royal West of England Academy in Bristol.
Between 1970 and 1980 held several solo exhibitions as well as participating in
Group shows at leading galleries such as Goodman Gallery, and Lidchi Gallery in
Johannesburg,
and Neil Sack Gallery Durban.
From 1980 to 1998 his work was handled by the Crake Gallery in Johannesburg
as well as showing in group exhibitions at Everard Read Gallery in Johannesburg.
In 1985 van Vuuren spent some time in West Germany, and his work became
much bolder and more colourful inspired by the work of German expressionism. In
1985 he showed paintings at Galerie Maeder in Munich.
For a period in the early '90''s he had a studio in the centre of Johannesburg
city where the street hawkers and mass action marches inspired an energetic
style- "stick men doing frenzied dances". The work celebrated South Africa's
emergence from its authoritarian past into a democracy. These were exhibited at
the Linder Auditorium in Johannesburg and then
sent to Europe. They were shown 1994 at
Genevieve Hasaerts in Brussels and 1996 at
Christophe Meissenbacher in Trier,
Germany.
In 1999 he visited Zanzibar and East Africa. His paintings after this mark a change in
direction, exploring the East African landscape and the light and shade of Stone Town
in Zanzibar. A
trip to Italy followed in
2000, where Venice and Tuscany became favourite subjects. He still
however has excursions into his abstract past. In 1998 he started to hold
exhibitions at his studio as well as Knysna Fine Art in Knysna.
He is married with two grown up sons, and lives and works in Johannesburg. He has work in many Corporate
and Public collections in SA and abroad, such as the National Gallery
Bloemfontein and Pretoria Art Museum and SA Reserve Bank, Swiss Life Belgium,
Bottner Reprotechnik Munich.
An avid fly fisherman and outdoors lover, his subjects are more often than not
places he visits in pursuit of solitude and tranquility.
