GORDON FROUD
Gordon Froud currently serves as the Head of the Department of Visual Arts (DoVA) at the University of Johannesburg and has been an influential figure in both the South African and international art scenes for over three decades. His extensive career encompasses roles as an artist, educator, curator, and gallerist. Froud holds a BA (Fine Arts) Honours from the University of the Witwatersrand and a master’s degree from the University of Johannesburg, where he is a senior lecturer and heads the Sculpture department.
Throughout his career, Froud has participated in hundreds of solo and group exhibitions. He curates numerous group exhibitions that tour across the country and is a prolific exhibitor, participating in over 20 shows annually in locations such as Washington, Boone (North Carolina), The Hague, and Paris. In 2012, he was the inaugural Site-Specific Artist in Residence at Plettenberg Bay and returned in 2013 as a participating artist in the Site-Specific Land Art Biennale. His work was prominently featured in an exhibition of South African sculpture in The Hague in May 2012, where one of his pieces was acquired by the South African Embassy.
Froud’s sculptures have been showcased at Nirox Sculpture Park and Stellenbosch Botanical Gardens as part of the “Heavy Metal” outdoor sculpture exhibitions in 2013 and 2014. His work is held in numerous public and private collections. He curated two significant exhibitions of South African contemporary art that were displayed at Appalachian State University in North Carolina and the Beijing Biennale in 2015, with subsequent showings at the Pretoria Art Museum and the University of Johannesburg Art Gallery.
From April to June 2018, Froud presented a solo exhibition titled “Harmonia: Sacred Geometry, Pattern of Existence” at the Standard Bank Gallery, featuring over 150 new works. This exhibition toured major galleries and museums throughout 2018 and 2019. Froud continues to participate in more than 25 exhibitions each year and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the University of Johannesburg.
Selected Curatorial Projects:
2011 Curated ‘Altered Pieces’ – A tribute to the lyrics of Leonard Cohen – Thompson Gallery, Jhb, Pandora Art House – Pta and Aardklop Festival – Potchefstroom.
2013 Curated “Tom Waits for no Man” – KKNK – Oudtshoorn, UJ Art Gallery – Jhb, Grande Provence Wine Estate – Franschoek, and Stegman gallery – Bloemfontein
2013 Curated Rooftop V – St Lorient Art Gallery – Pretoria
2013 Curated Alice 150 – Celebrating 150 years of Alice in Wonderland – Art lovers – Pta
2014 Curated ‘Cathedra’ – Chair exhibition, Bayliss gallery and University of Johannesburg Art gallery
2014 Twenty: Contemporary SA Art – Appalachian State University North Carolina USA
2015 Co-curated ‘Art in the time of democracy’ Beijing Biennale
2016 Curated “I objekt” – Art It is Gallery, Parkwood, Jhb
2016 Curated the First Inner City Courtyard Sculpture exhibition – No 1 Eloff Street, Jhb
2016 Curated Ceramics Sculpture Exhibition for Ceramics SA – Arts Association, Pta
2016 Co curated Animation Bash for Art Assoc – Pta
2017 Curated Mute Wisdom, Inaugural exhibition – Almenkerk Wine Estate and Sculpture Park, Elgin, Cape Town
2017 Curated Sculpture show for Boschendal Wine Estate, Franschoek
2019 Curated and showed on ‘Terugblik’ – Celebrating 25 years of the KKNK festival artists – Oudtshoorn
2019 Curated Ampersand Foundation 21 year celebration show – University of Jhb Art Gallery
2020 Curated “Pearl” – a tribute show to Janis Joplin – Artbox Gallery – Pta
Selected Exhibitions:
2014
Deconstructing Dogma – University of Jhb Art gallery
Winter Sculpture Fair – Nirox Sculpture Park – Cradle of Humankind
Twenty: Contemporary SA Art – Appalachian State University, Boone North Carolina USA
Performing (Wo)Man – performing gender roles – University of Jhb Art Gallery
Ifalethu – bringing it back – UNISA Art Gallery, Pta.
Play – Nirox Sculpture Park
ABSA Gallery Auction – Jhb
Turbine Art Fair – Artsource stand – Jhb
Capital Future – Fried Contemporary, Pretoria
Cool capital installation at Pretoria Girls High School – Pta
Dignitas Award portfolio – University of Jhb
Karoo Fracking exhibition – Oliewenhuis Art Gallery – Bloemfontein
2015
EQUUS – Cavalli Wine Estate – Somerset West
TWENTY – Pta art Museum / University of Jhb Art Gallery
100 years of ‘Die Burger’ newspaper – Artscape and Die Burger Newspaper – Cape Town
Sculpture on the cliffs – Hermanus
2nd lives – 2-person show with Diane victor – Rossouw Modern – Hermanus – as joint festival artists of FynArts Festival
The Games people play – Botanical gardens of University of the Northwest
Bronze Steel and Stone – Everard Read contemporary Gallery – Johannesburg
Inaugural exhibition – No end Gallery, Linden
Co-curated ‘Art in the time of democracy’ Beijing Biennale
2016
Finalist in PPC Imaginarium for Industrial Design UJ art Gallery
Crossing Borders – A group show for Doctors without Borders – Turbine Hall, Newtown, Jhb
Refiguration – Group exhibition – University of North West Art gallery – Potchefstroom
‘Curiositas’ group show – AGOG Gallery- Maboneng Precinct, Jhb
UJ Seats of Knowledge exhibition and Auction – Kingsway Campus Library University of Johannesburg.
DSW Foundry travelling show of bronze sculpture, University of North West Art gallery, Oliewenhuis Gallery, Bloemfontein, Pretoria Art Museum
Curator/ Creator – Curated Group show by Lucia Boer, ABSA Gallery, Jhb
Nugget Square Group exhibition– SoMA Gallery, Maboneng, Jhb
Woordfees – Stellenbosch Group exhibition
Outdoor Sculpture exhibition – Robertson for Lizamore and Associates
COEXIST – George Bizos exhibition – Saheti School, Bedfordview, Jhb
GNAP International Nomad Nature Art event – Kaapshehoop, Mpumalanga
GNAP International Nomad Nature Art event – AVA Gallery Cape Town
Launch exhibition of Boutique gallery Franschoek Cape town
Launch exhibition at 13th Floor gallery, Jhb
Performing (wo)man – Curated by Derek Zietsman – UJ Art Gallery, Northwest University (Potchefstroom) and Oliewenhuis Art Gallery (Bloemfontein)
2017
‘See Art’ – group exhibition curated by Derek Zietsman, Gallery2 – Jhb
Curated Mute Wisdom, Inaugural exhibition – Almenkerk Wine Estate and Sculpture Park, Elgin, Cape Town
Bibliophile….turning the pages – Absa Gallery, Jhb35 years: A Lizamore perspective – Lizamore and Associates, Jhb
Investec – E waste workshop and exhibition – Durban
Nirox Sculpture Park residency, cradle of humankind.
Cill Railig Artist’s residency, Ballingskellig, Ireland
Group Exhibition of SA artists, Ballingskellig, Ireland
‘Words’ Sculpture Exhibition, Nirox Sculpture Park, Cradle of humankind
Curated Sculpture show for Boschendal Wine Estate, Franschoek
Turbine Art Fair
University of Jhb print portfolio for dignitaries
FAP Print Biennale, Gibbs Business School, Jhb
2018
Selected artist for Creation Wine Estate, Hemel en Aarde, Hermanus for FynArts festival
Solo Show Roussow Modern – Hermanus for FynArts festival
‘Harmonia’ – solo mid-career exhibition, Standard Bank Gallery, Jhb and Cavalli Estate, Somerset West, Cape Town
‘White Light’ – solo show at Fried Contemporary, Pta
Boutique Gallery inaugural show – Brussels, Belgium
Tame times – Absa Art auction for charity, Absa Gallery, Jhb
Paddock III International Postcard exhibition – Blue Room – Jhb
‘Tacit’ Celebration of 20 years of Dionysis Sculpture Foundry – Oliewenhuis Museum as part of the Free State Arts Festival
HIV/AIDS exhibition, Oliewenhuis Museum as part of the Free State Arts Festival
Guerrilla Art – Mural at Javett Art Museum – Pretoria University.
Forward? Forward! Forward… Gallery of the University of Stellenbosch – in celebration of 100 years of the University of Stellenbosch.
Blue Door open studio – group printmaking show Richmond – Jhb
SculpX – Sculpture exhibition – Melrose gallery – Jhb
‘A letter to my younger self’ … Charity Auction show curated by Banele Khoza – ABSA Gallery, Jhb
George Bizos 91st Birthday celebration Solo exhibition – Saheti School Senderwood – Jhb
2019
‘White Light’ – solo show at No end Gallery Linden and Ellis House Troyeville
‘Harmonia’ – solo mid-career exhibition – KKNK National arts festival – Oudtshoorn. (Nominated for a Kanna award for best show at the festival)
‘Blow your sculpture’ – Glass exhibition – Pretoria Art Museum.
‘Harmonia’ – solo mid-career exhibition – Oliewenhuis Art Museum, Bloemfontein and University of the Northwest Gallery – Potchefstroom
21 years of curating the cube – group exhibition – University of Jhb Art Gallery.
‘Samplings’ – Inaugural exhibition of the Jack Ginsberg Center for Book Arts – Wits Art Museum – Jhb
Collecting Contemporary – Lizamore and Associates – KKNK Oudtshoorn and Lizamore and Associates Gallery – Johannesburg
‘Tribute’ – Group exhibition of artists as teachers, curated by Elfriede Dreyer – KKNK National festival – Oudtshoorn
Curated and showed on ‘Terugblik’ – Celebrating 25 years of the KKNK festival artists – Oudtshoorn
Curated Ampersand Foundation 21- year celebration show – University of Johannesburg Art Gallery
2020
The Lockdown collection in aid of the vulnerable artists’ fund – Johannesburg
UJ Pandemic project – University of Johannesburg online – Jhb
Apogee Boutique Hotel launch – Pta
Transhumanism – The Viewing Room Gallery – Pta
Turbine Art Fair – Online exhibition – ‘New World Order’ curated by Johan Thom
Fundraiser Auction for the Project Space – Aspire Auctioneers – Jhb
Fundraiser Auction for Carinus Art Center – Makhanda
Winter online show – Lizamore and Associates – Jhb
Awards, Commissions and Residencies:
1981 Matric Art Prize, Dawnview High School
1988 Merit Award for Sculpture – New signatures Competition
1995 Second Prize – Kempton Park Art Competition
1995 Merit Award – Volkskas Atelier Competition
1996 Third Prize – Kempton Park Art competition
1996 Merit Award – PPC Young Concrete sculptor Competition
2005 ABSA Achievers Gold medal for contribution to the arts and promotion of young artists
2006 Mobile Sculpture award for Dept of Science and Technology CSIR – Pretoria
2008 Baragwanath Taxi Rank commissioned mobile sculpture
2009 Maseru High Commission Mobile Sculpture
2009 Design Indaba – Selected as an Emerging Creative Designer for the Indaba
2009 Sculpture commission – Moses Mabilah Stadium – Durban
2010 Designed Aartvark trophy for innovation for Aardklop Art Festival – Potchefstroom
2011 Designed winners’ trophies for ABSAl’ Atelier
2012 Designed and made 2 life-sized Rhinos for Nedbank Golf challenge – Sun City
2013 Virus Mobile – Medical Military Unit – Pretoria
2013 Field Ambulance – Medical Military Unit – Pretoria
2014 KKNK Festival Artist
2014 Certificate of Excellence – Department of Arts and Culture
2014 Hermanus Art on the Cliff festival artist
2015 FynArts Festival artist Hermanus
2017 Nirox Sculpture Park residency, Cradle of Humankind.
2017 Cill Railig Artist’s residency, Ballingskellig, Ireland
Public Collections:
ABSA Bank Collection
Pretoria Art Museum
UNISA Art Gallery
Sandton Civic Gallery
Carfax Experience JHB
South African Association of Arts
Cite des Arts International – Paris
South African Broadcasting Corporation JHB
Alliance Francaise – Johannesburg
Department of Science and Technology CSIR Pretoria
Mocambique Museum of Art – Maputo.
Willow Ridge High School – Pta
Steel Company – Cape Town
SA High Commission – Maseru
Moses Mabila Stadium – Durban
Li – Bel Restaurant – Pretoria
La Pentola Restaurant – Pretoria
Moses Mabilah Stadium – Durban
Johannesburg Art Gallery – Johannesburg
South African Embassy – The Hague – Holland
Spier Art Collection – Stellenbosch
Standard Bank Collection
Propertuity Collection, Jhb
August House Collection, Jhb
University of Jhb Art Collection
Hollard Collection, Jhb
The Wilds sculpture Park – Jhb
Jack Ginsberg Center for Book Arts (JGCBA) Collection – Wits Art Museum – Jhb.
