Keith Calder ( 1959 -

Born in 1959 in the small town of Cradock, South Africa. 
Biography :
Keith Calder was From his youth, the life of this sculptor has been inextricably linked to wilderness and its creatures, a link that forms the essence of his sculptures.

On completing school in Johannesburg, he undertook a diploma in nature conservation and spent the next ten years in that field, working throughout Southern Africa. Whilst working in the northern Kruger Park he contracted malaria. During his recuperation his mother Molly Calder, a well-known ceramist, encouraged him to explore his interest in sculpture. He spent a month sculpting and modelling in clay. That month marked a year of transition for him as he vacillated between his commitment to conservation and a possible career in the arts. He spent much of his free time honing his skills as a sculptor.

In 1987 the decision to leave the bush and become a sculptor was made easier when he received his first important commission from St Stithian's College in Johannesburg: a herd of nine elephants in bronze ( 3m x 1m x 0.5m ) symbolizing the college motto 'one and all'.

Calder's work ranges from miniatures to life-size to monumental sculptures and is well represented in institutions and corporations throughout South Africa. His style is instantly recognizable by its realism and his ability to capture the character of his subjects stems from his intimate knowledge of them.

" To be able to draw upon the power and beauty of wild things and portray them in sculpture is a great privilege for me. Perhaps they symbolize our purer selves or jolt our deep seated ancestral memory of when we once lived closer to the earth"

In 2002 Calder began to search an original way to sculpt the human and animal form. He extended lines, expanded planes, reduced texture, detail and sentimentality while still maintaining a loyalty to natural form. The sculptures that emerged are difficult to define stylistically. There are elements of the abstract, cubism and futurism. Some have an almost stylised art deco feel.
This on-line exhibition represents this style.

The artist can be commissioned for specific works in all sizes.
Exhibitions:
2003 Bronze Age Sculpture House Cape Town 
2001 Albertyn's Stables Art Gallery Cape Town 
1998 The Sandton Square Outdoor
1996 Decorex Expo Johannesburg, 
South African International Wildlife Exhibition, Everard Read Gallery Johannesburg 
1994 'Art on the Square' Sandton Square 
1992 Everard Read Wildlife Art exhibition. Johannesburg 
1991 Everard Read Wildlife Art exhibition. Johannesburg 
1989 "Big Five Collection" Sandton Art Gallery 
Public Commisions:
2003 Bishopscourt Private outdoor collection. 
Pam Golding Properties
Balance Three stainless steel acrobats. Height 2.3m 
2000 GrandWest Casino Entertainment Centre, Cape Town, Armillary & Seals 
Boardwalk Casino Port Elizabeth: Life-size Two dolphins and mermaid 
Bishops College Cape Town, 'The Boy' Life-size 
1999 Swaanswyk Private collection, Cape Town: Life-size swans, Klipspringer pair, Impala pair 
1996 Dimension Data, Johannesburg: Fish eagle: DD proam trophy
Cricket and golf figurines, Peregrine falcon 
Botswana Embassy, Stockholm: Elephant and skull 
1994 De Beers Industrial Diamond Division, Johannesburg: Life-size Herd of 7 kudu running through water 
St. Johns College, Life-size The Eagle and The Boy 
1993 Fist National Bank, Bank City: Life- size leopard, Caracal and guinea fowl, Klipspringer, Horus 
1989 Pretoria Teachers College: One third life-size; elephant cow and calf 
1987 St. Stithians College, Johannesburg: Elephant herd, Life-size cheetah pair, Dik-dik Pair, Fish eagle and tiger fish 
[ BACK ]