“… we should talk less and draw more. I personally would like to renounce speech altogether and, like organic nature, communicate everything I have to say in sketches.-Johan Wolfgang Goethe
Born in 1971, Niel Jonker has been a full-time artist since 2005, and is a trained sculptor who paints prolifically en plein-air, and facilitates artisanal breadmaking workshops.
He works with landscape and materiality toward diverse yet consistent applications. Practicing in the figuritive bronze tradition while recently developing terracotta sculptures that incorporate indigenous clay. Painting modest scale panels outdoors has been a focus for over a decade while commissions for large studio canvases are accepted periodically. Participation in residencies have introduced simulating collaborations. And as a pioneering artisan breadmaker Niel has made significant contributions over the years when working with agriculturists and artisans, while activating and developing countless home bakers in their practice.
Exhibition resume :
| 2022 | Solo: Fragile creatures. (Fragile beings series). Hermanus Fynarts Festival. SPACE Curated, Hermanus |
| 2021 | Solo : “Lighter ground” (Fragile beings series), Baardskeerdersbos. |
| 2020 | Solo: “Ochre skies”, Baardskeerdersbos Art Route |
| 2019 | Solo: “Unearthed” Gabrielkloof, Botrivier |
| Residency: land art: Tankwa Artscape, Stonehenge Private Nature Reserve | |
| Solo: “Seated”, Baardskeerdersbos Art Route | |
| 2018 | Land art: Tankwa Artscape, Stonehenge Private Nature Reserve |
| Solo: “Heroes of resistance” NAF, Grahamstown | |
| Solo: Baardskeerdersbos Art Route | |
| 2017 | Solo: “Hybrida” Breytenbach Centre, Wellington |
| Solo: NAF, Grahamstown | |
| Solo: Baardskeerdersbos Art Route | |
| 2016 | Public: Stellenbosch 360, Stellenbosch |
| Solo: KKNK, Oudtshoorn | |
| Land art: Global Nomadic Art Project | |
| Solo: NAF, Grahamstown | |
| Solo: Baardskeerdersbos Art Route | |
| 2015 | Public: Stellenbosch 360, Stellenbosch |
| Solo: KKNK, Oudtshoorn | |
| Solo: Baardskeerdersbos Art Route | |
| 2014 | Group: Magicus, D-Street Gallery, Stellenbosch |
| Solo: KKNK, Oudtshoorn | |
| Solo: “The Artisan” Hermanus Fynarts | |
| Solo: “Fire-face” Grahamstown National Arts Festival | |
| Public: Design and crafting of masks and props: “The Magic Shell”Jungle Theatre, Cape Town. | |
| Solo: Baardskeerdersbos Art Route | |
| 2013 | Group: Prototype, D-Street Gallery, Stellenbosch |
| Site_Specific Land Art Bienalle, Plettenberg Bay | |
| Group: “Homosapien” KZNSA, Durban | |
| Solo: “Grondhervorming” KKNK, Oudtshoorn | |
| Solo: Baardskeerdersbos Art Route | |
| 2012 | Solo: KKNK, Oudtshoorn |
| Commission: National Heritage Project | |
| Solo: Baardskeerdersbos Art Route | |
| 2011 | International Land Art Bienalle, Plettenberg Bay. |
| Solo: KKNK, Oudtshoorn | |
| Solo: Baardskeerdersbos Art Route | |
| 2010 | Solo: KKNK, Oudtshoorn |
| Commission: Bronze trophy, Cape Epic MTB Cycle Race | |
| Group: Summer Baardskeerdersbos Art Route, Baardskeerdersbos | |
| Group: Woordfees, Stellenbosch | |
| Solo: KKNK, Oudtshoorn | |
| 2009 | Group: Summer Salon, Hout Street Gallery, Paarl |
| Group: 41st Summer Exhibition, Strydom Gallery, George | |
| Group: Summer Exhibition, Stanford Galleries, Stanford | |
| Group: Gala Exhibition, Walker Bay Gallery, Hermanus | |
| Group: Oudebrug Gallery, Elgin | |
| Solo: Baardskeerdersbos Art Route, Baardskeerdersbos | |
| Group: “Foundrymans Choice”, Cultivaria Festival, Paarl | |
| Two-man: “Solitude”, Kraalstudio, Pretoria | |
| Group: Klein Karoo Klassique, Oudtshoorn | |
| Solo: “The Fountain”, McGregor | |
| Group: “Dawid´s Choice” Gallery Red Black and White, Stellenbosch | |
| Solo: Baardskeerdersbos Art Route, Baardskeerdersbos | |
| Solo: “Terroir” KKNK, Oudtshoorn | |
| Group: “Presence”, Off the Wall Gallery, Lourensford Wine Estate, Somerset West | |
| 2008 | Solo: “Pause”, Prince Albert Gallery, Prince Albert |
| Group: “Stilte”, KKNK, Oudtshoorn, (curated and exhibited) | |
| Group: Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, Gansbaai | |
| Group: Steenbokslaagte, Lamberts Bay | |
| Group: “Expression”, Carol Lee Fine Art, Johannesburg | |
| Solo: Hilton Arts Festival, Pietermaritzburg | |
| Group: “Metaphor”, Carol Lee Fine Art, Johannesburg | |
| Group: Oudebrug Gallery, Elgin | |
| Two-man: “B-Bos Boys”, Missions House Gallery, Onrust, Hermanus | |
| Group: Summer Salon, Strydom Gallery, George | |
| Solo: Lomond Wine Estate, Gansbaai | |
| Solo: Baardskeerdersbos Art Route, Baardskeerdersbos | |
| Solo: Hermanuspietersfontein Cellar, Hermanus | |
| 2007 | Two-man: “Binnestebuite”, KKNK, Oudtshoorn, (curated and exhibited) |
| Solo: Volksblad Fees, Bloemfontein | |
| Solo: Hilton Arts Festival, Pietermaritzburg | |
| 2006 | Two-man: “Twee Skilders” Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees, Oudtshoorn |
| “Kunskoop”, facilitated and initiated a panel discussion of six leading gallerists, curators, and art dealers, KKNK, Oudtshoorn. | |
| 1995-2005 | Facilitated and curated annual exhibitions of other artists at KKNK, Oudtshoorn. Worked in the export industry for a decade, manufacturing ostrich leather and managing an ostrich feather sorting plant. |
| 1994 | Solo: “Ten sculptors” ICA, Johannesburg |
| Group: “Klein Karoo Group” Oudtshoorn | |
| 1993 | Graduated with distinctions in painting and sculpture from Technikon Natal, Durban. |
| 1992 | Co-founded the Flat Gallery in Durban, an artists collective. https://www.siemonallen.org/flat.html |
| 1991 | Awarded the most promising student award from Foundation Art School, Cape Town, presented by Judith Mason. |
| 1988 | Matriculated from Oudtshoorn High School with a distinction in art. |
| 1971 | Born and grew up on a farm in the Little Karoo district of Oudtshoorn, South Africa. |