David is a renowned South African artist, born of Dutch immigrant parents.
He works in a variety of styles and techniques, broadly separated into four categories according to the techniques employed. David exhibits internationally, with a particular focus on Europe and South Africa.
David creates signature sculptures and portraits alike, and he is well-known for his fun and playful style of work incorporating clean-cut lines and vibrant colours.
David Kuijers
Artist Statement
As a child I spent a lot of time in the wild and it represented an independence of thought and freedom of movement that I cherished. As ‘the boy who can draw’ I also sensed a separateness from my peers and adults that was at once disconcerting and appealing.
As an adult it translated into: either you work (in the corporate sense) or you paint. A difficult path but not a difficult choice.
My biggest early influence was the French painter Raoul Dufy. His paintings have a vitality that to me is the visual arts equivalent of perpetual motion. The energy he painted with was transferred rather than expended in the process.
The energy is still there – the paintings are “radio-active”. Art made by young children sometimes has this same quality and can be equally captivating and energising.
My own rationale, with this in mind, would probably be to make art that in style and content, hopefully has some of that same positive charge.
Biography
David was born in 1962 near Johannesburg, South Africa of Dutch Immigrant parents. He completed his schooling at the Pretoria School of Art, Music & Ballet, with a distinction in graphic art and the best painter award for 1980. He did 2 years military service at Youngfield in Wynberg, Cape Town.
A brief period as a signwriter, was followed by enrollment to study Graphic Design (majoring in Illustration) at the Cape Technikon. He was awarded top student upon graduating.
For 10 years David freelanced as a designer/illustrator to aid his efforts at becoming a full-time artist, which he achieved in 1999. Thereafter, he received some large commissions which helped to ease his transition to working as a full-time artist. These commissions included work for The President Hotel in Bantry Bay (Cape Town) and The Radisson Blu at the V&A Waterfront, Cape Town.
In 2002 a book entitled ‘David Kuijers Paints the Town’ was published in Cape Town. In 2004 he collaborated with British Publishers, DeMontford Fine Art, and was included in their ‘Ultimate Collection’ of that year.
David currently lives in Greyton, South Africa, with his wife and three children. He works in a variety of styles and techniques, broadly separated into four categories according to the techniques employed.
He is known for his fun and playful style of work that incorporates clean-cut lines and vibrant colours.