CURRICULUM VITAE



SOLO EXHIBITIONS




GROUP EXHIBITIONS


2022 - A Quiet New Focus,
Villa Legodi Centre for Sculpture,
Johannesburg, South Africa

2022 - Seeds of the Fig, Krone x WHATIFTHEWORLD, curated by RESEVOIR, Tulbagh,  South Africa

2022 - Earth Power!,
Montoro 12,
Brussels, Belgium


2022 - The Norval Sovereign African Art Prize Finalists Exhibition,
Norval Foundation,
Cape Town

2021 - In Times Like These...and Other Stories,
WHATIFTHEWORLD,
Cape
Town

2021 - Witness, curated by Natasha Becker
Piero Atchugarry Gallery, Miami

2021 - 40 under 40, curated by Igsaan Martin.
Twee Jonge Gezellen Wine Estate, Krone x WHATIFTHEWORLD, Tulbagh

2021 - Margins of Error
Nirox Sculpture Park, 
Johannesburg

2020Matereality
Iziko South African National Gallery
Cape Town

2019 Process
BKhz,
Braamfontein

2019Il est une fois à l’Ouest
Frac Nouvelle-Aquitaine MÉCA 
Bordeaux, France

2018Germination
RAW Material Company
Dakar, Senegal

2018Forward?
Curated by Ulrich Wolff and Elizabeth Miller-Vermeulen,
Stellenbosch University Museum,
Stellenbosch

2018 Fresh Voices 
Guns and Rain Gallery
Johannesburg


2017 NEWWORK19
Wits Art Museum 
Johannesburg

2016Activate/Captivate: Collections  Re-engagement
Wits Art Museum
Johannesburg


COLLABORATIONS

2020 – Selected as one of ten contemporary artists to participate in the 5th edition of the Dior Lady Art project.


AWARDS

2021 – Finalist, Norval Sovereign African Art Prize, Cape Town, South Africa.

2020 – Recipient of The Claire & Edoardo Villa Will Trust Grant.

2019 – SEED Award
Presented by the Southern African Foundation for Contemporary Art (SAFFCA) - For career acknolwedgment

2018 – PPC Imaginarium Award, Overall winner, and winner of the Sculpture category


RESIDENCIES


2022 - SAFFCA.EU, La Cambre, Brussels, Belgium

2021 - Nirox Foundation Residency, Nirox Sculpture Park, Johannesburg

2019 Roma Residenza, hosted by Montoro 12, Rome

2018 Fellow of the RAW Academié Session 5, directed by Otobong Nkanga. RAW Material Company. Dakar, Senegal

2018 Southern African Foundation for Contemporary Art. Co-resident with Minnette Vari. Entabeni Farm, Knysna


COLLECTIONS

Chris Soal has work in numerous private and public collections, both in South Africa and Internationally. Notable collections include:

The Brooklyn Museum, USA.

The Bunker Artspace, (The Beth Rudin DeWoody collection), USA.

The Braunsfelder Family Collection, Germany.

The Kelly and Scott Mueller Collection, USA.

The Renee and Robert Drake Collection, Netherlands.

Scheryn Art Collection, South Africa.

Southern African Foundation for Contemporary Art (SAFFCA), South Africa, France, Belgium.

First Rand Bank, Corporate Collection, South Africa.

The Rupert Family Collection, South Africa.

Kavita Chellaram Art collection, London, Lagos.

Martin Nielsen Collection, Denmark.

The Trevor Noah Collection, South Africa & USA.


LAM Museum, Lisse, Netherlands.

Arsenal Contemporary, Montreal; Toronto; New York.

MACAAL Museum, Morocco.


Francesca Lavazza Collection, Turin, Italy.

BIOGRAPHY


Chris Soal (b. 1994) is an award-winning, emerging South African artist.

Soal’s studio-based practice is sculptural in its output, working with objects and materials in ways which show not only a conceptual engagement with the contexts and histories of the objects, but that also re-enforce the body as a site for knowledge reception and production.

Soal’s works seek to make a poetic statement through the simplest of means, engaging the viewer’s spatial awareness and perception while challenging societal assumptions of value.

Through his use of discarded and mundane ephemera, such as toothpicks and bottle caps, along with concrete, rebar, electric fencing cable and other industrial materials, Soal’s work intuitively develops the familiar to the point of the uncanny. Soal’s works can be considered as a social abstraction that is deeply rooted and reflective of having grown up in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Specifically, the artist’s work with beer bottle caps explore the legacy of gold mining in the city, with the illusory concavities and convexities of his spiralled wall pieces becoming suggestive of the appearance and disappearance of mine dumps and sinkholes. Foregrounding pressing ecological concerns, the artist’s works with toothpicks primarily consider and seek to expose the paradoxical relationship humankind has with nature, that of simultaneous dependence and domination.



Portrait by Jem Rose. 



NEWS



APRIL ‘23 - SOLO EXHIBITION PIERO ATCHUGARRY MIAMI

Chris Soal and Piero Atchugarry are pleased to present ‘Finds taken for wonders’ a solo exhibition at the gallery’s Survey space in Miami. The exhibition will open from the 15th of April.

︎Click here for more information.

APRIL ‘23 - ART BRUSSELS

Chris Soal and WHATIFTHEWORLD present a fresh array of work for his sophmore year at Art Brussels. Art Brussels will run from the 20-23 of April. Soal’s work can be found at Booth 6A-07. 

︎Click here for more information.

FEBRUARY ‘23 - ARCO MADRID

Chris Soal and Piero Atchugarry present a thoughtful collection of new work at ARCO Madrid. Soal’s work can be found at Booth 7A17 from the 22-26 of February.

FEBRUARY ‘23 - INVESTEC ART FAIR CAPE TOWN

Chris Soal and WHATIFTHEWORLD present a fresh collection of work at Investec Art Fair. Soal’s work can be found at Booth D9 from  the 17-19 of February, South Africa.

JANUARY ‘23 - ZONA MACO

Chris Soal and Eduardo Secci Gallery are pleased to present a diverse collection of new works at Zona Maco in Mexico City. The collection can be found at Booth D118.

︎Click here for more information.

DECEMBER ‘22 - VILLA-LEGODI CENRE FOR SCULPTURE

Chris Soal forms part of a group presentation alongside Walter Oltmann and Usha Seejarim in ‘A Quiet Focus’ at Nirox’s new centre, Villa-Legodi Centre for Sculpture.

︎Click here for more information.

NOVEMBER ‘22 - SEEDS OF THE FIG

Chris Soal in ‘Seeds of the Fig’ a group, sculptural exhibition curated by Resevoir presented with  WHATIFTHEWORLD X Krone in Tulbagh, South Africa.

︎Click here for more information.

OCTOBER ‘22 - 1-54 CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART FAIR

Chris Soal forms part of a group presentation by WHATIFTHEWORLD at the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London.

︎Click here for more information. 

SEPTEMBER ‘22 - KIAF SEOUL

Chris Soal forms part of a group presentation by Eduardo Secci Gallery at KIAF in Seoul, South Korea. View the presentation at Booth A55.

︎Click here for more information.

 SEPTEMBER ‘22 - FNB ART JOBURG


Chris Soal forms part of a group presentation by WHATIFTHEWORLD at the FNB Art Joburg Fair. View the presentation at Booth Nr 5 in the Gallery Hub Section.

︎Click here for more information.

SEPTEMBER ‘22 - KIAF SEOUL

Chris Soal forms part of a group presentation by Eduardo Secci Gallery at KIAF in Seoul, South Korea. View the presentation at Booth A55.

︎Click here for more information.

APRIL ‘22 - EXPO CHICAGO

Chris Soal formed part of a group presentation by WHATIFTHEWORLD in the 2022 Expo Chicago.

︎Click here for more information.

ART BRUSSELS

WHATIFTHEWORLD and Chris Soal are pleased to present a solo presentation of new works at Art Brussels 2022. View the presentation at Booth D20 in the Discovery Section.

︎Click here for more information.

MARCH ‘22 - ARTIST IN RESIDENCY WITH SAFFCA.EU

Chris Soal is one of the first 2022 resident artists in the SAFFCA.EU artist in residency programme.

︎Click here for more information.

OCTOBER ‘21 - NORVAL FOUNDATION

Chris Soal is pleased to have been included in the announced shortlist for The Norval Sovereign African Art Prize.

The 30 shortlisted artworks are presented in an exhibition at Norval Foundation until 28 February 2022, and form part of  The Norval Sovereign African Art Auction hosted by Sotheby’s.

︎Click here for more information.

CURRICULUM VITAE


GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2022 - A Quiet New Focus,
Villa Legodi Centre for Sculpture,
Johannesburg, South Africa

2022 -
Seeds of the Fig, Krone x WHATIFTHEWORLD, curated by RESEVOIR, Tulbagh, South Africa

2022
- Earth Power!,
Montoro 12,
Brussels, Belgium


2022 - The Norval Sovereign African Art Prize Finalists Exhibition,
Norval Foundation,
Cape Town

2021 - In Times Like These...and Other Stories,
WHATIFTHEWORLD,
Cape
Town

2021 - Witness, curated by Natasha Becker
Piero Atchugarry Gallery, Miami

2021 - 40 under 40, curated by Igsaan Martin.
Twee Jonge Gezellen Wine Estate, Krone x WHATIFTHEWORLD, Tulbagh

2021 - Margins of Error,
Nirox Sculpture Park,
Johannesburg

2020Matereality
Iziko South African National Gallery
Cape Town

2019 Process
BKhz,
Braamfontein

2019Il est une fois à l’Ouest.
Frac Nouvelle-Aquitaine MÉCA
Bordeaux, France

2018Germination
RAW Material Company
Dakar, Senegal

2018Forward
Curated by Ulrich Wolff and Elizabeth Miller-Vermeulen,
Stellenbosch University Museum,
Stellenbosch

2018 Fresh Voices
Guns and Rain Gallery
Johannesburg

2017Washington186 Inaugural Exhibition
Aeroplastics Contemporary
Brussels, Belgium

2017 NEWWORK19
Wits Art Museum
Johannesburg

2016 undermine
A Collaborative Group Occupation
Curated by Chris Soal,
The Point of Order,
Johannesburg

2016Activate/Captivate: Collections  Re-engagement
Wits Art Museum
Johannesburg


COLLABORATIONS

2020 – Selected as one of ten contemporary artists to participate in the 5th edition of the Dior Lady Art project.

AWARDS

2021 – Finalist, Norval Sovereign African Art Prize, Cape Town, South Africa.

2020 – Recipient of The Claire & Edoardo Villa Will Trust Grant.

2019 – SEED Award
Presented by the Southern African Foundation for Contemporary Art (SAFFCA) - For career acknolwedgment.

2018 – PPC Imaginarium Award, Overall winner, and winner of the Sculpture category.

RESIDENCIES

2022 - SAFFCA.EU, La Cambre, Brussels, Belgium

2021 - Nirox Foundation Residency, Nirox Sculpture Park, Johannesburg

2019 Roma Residenza, hosted by Montoro 12, Rome

2018 Fellow of the RAW Academié Session 5, directed by Otobong Nkanga. RAW Material Company. Dakar, Senegal

2018 Southern African Foundation for Contemporary Art. Co-resident with Minnette Vari. Entabeni Farm, Knysna

COLLECTIONS

Chris Soal has work in numerous private and public collections, both in South Africa and Internationally. Notable collections include:

The Brooklyn Museum, USA

LAM Museum, Lisse, Netherlands.

Arsenal Contemporary, Montreal; Toronto; New York.

MACAAL Museum, Morocco.


The Bunker Artspace, (The Beth Rudin DeWoody collection), USA.

The Braunsfelder Family Collection, Germany.

Galila’s P.O.C. - The Collection of Galila Barzilaï-Hollander, Belgium.

The Kelly and Scott Mueller Collection, USA.

The Renee and Robert Drake Collection, Netherlands.

Scheryn Art Collection, South Africa.

Southern African Foundation for Contemporary Art (SAFFCA), South Africa, France, Belgium.

The Rupert Family Collection, South Africa.

Kavita Chellaram Art collection, London, Lagos.

Martin Nielsen Collection, Denmark.

The Trevor Noah Collection, South Africa & USA.


Francesca Lavazza Collection, Turin, Italy.


PRESS


REVIEWS, INTERVIEWS AND ARTICLES

PALIMPSEST: CHRIS SOAL’S SCULPTURES REVEAL MANY MEANINGS
︎ by Drew Haller for That Eclectic

‘WITNESS’ EXHIBIT HIGHLIGHTS CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN AND AFRICAN DIASPORA ARTISTS
︎ by Sergy Odiduro for Artbust

INTERVIEW
︎ with Adam Hencz for Artland

INTERVIEW
︎ with Artoday

INTERVIEW
︎ on As below so above for Tongues

INTERVIEW
︎ with Emilie Froment for Habitat Magazine

AMORPHOUS - THE SCULPTURES
OF CHRIS SOAL

︎ by Andrew Lasane for COLOSSAL

JOHANNESBURG ARTIST’S TOOTHPICK SCULPTURES POINT WAY FOR AFRICAN ABSTRACTION
︎ by Graham Wood on Wanted Online

Q&A WITH EMERGING SOUTH AFRICAN ARTIST CHRIS SOAL
︎ with Annzra Denita on House and Leisure

Q&A WITH 2018 PPC IMAGINARIUM WINNER
︎ with Marcia Elizabeth on Bubblegum Club

FIELD OF VISION REVIEW
︎ by Ashraf Jamal on ArtThrob

INFORMATION



BIOGRAPHY



Portrait by Jemma Rose Mould. 


Chris Soal (b. 1994) is an award-winning, emerging South African artist.

Soal’s studio-based practice is sculptural in its output, working with objects and materials in ways which show not only a conceptual engagement with the contexts and histories of the objects, but that also re-enforce the body as a site for knowledge reception and production.

Soal’s works seek to make a poetic statement through the simplest of means, engaging the viewer’s spatial awareness and perception while challenging societal assumptions of value.

Through his use of discarded and mundane ephemera, such as toothpicks and bottle caps, along with concrete, rebar, electric fencing cable and other industrial materials, Soal’s work intuitively develops the familiar to the point of the uncanny. Soal’s works can be considered as a social abstraction that is deeply rooted and reflective of having grown up in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Specifically, the artist’s work with beer bottle caps explore the legacy of gold mining in the city, with the illusory concavities and convexities of his spiralled wall pieces becoming suggestive of the appearance and disappearance of mine dumps and sinkholes. Foregrounding pressing ecological concerns, the artist’s works with toothpicks primarily consider and seek to expose the paradoxical relationship humankind has with nature, that of simultaneous dependence and domination.



CONTACT

CHRIS SOAL
︎ Instagram
︎ Email


NEWS

UPCOMING:

NOVEMBER ‘23 - ABU DHABI 

Chris Soal will be unveiling some of his most recent works with WHATIFTHEWORLD at the Abu Dhabi Art Fair in the Manarat Al Saadiyat centre in booth NºA31 from the 22nd - 26nd of November.

NOVEMBER ‘23 - Art Cologne

Chris Soal’s and WHATIFTHEWORLD will be visible to the public at Art Cologne in Köln, Germany from the 16th - 19th of November in booth NºB-312.

NOVEMBER ‘23 - ARTISSIMA

Catch a glimpse of Chris Soal’s state-of-the-art work at the Artissima Fair in Torina, Italy with WHATIFTHEWORLD from the 3rd - 5th of November.

OCTOBER ‘23 - 1-54

Chris Soal will form part of a presentation by WHATIFTHEWORLD at the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London at booth NºW4 from the 12th - 13th of October.

SEPTEMBER ‘23 - ART JOBURG 

Chris Soal and WHATIFTHEWORLD will present a modern collection of work at Art Joburg. Soal’s work can be found at Hub Nº4 from the 8th - 10th of September in Johannesburg, South Africa.


PRECEDENT:

APRIL ‘23 - SOLO EXHIBITION PIERO ATCHUGARRY MIAMI 

Chris Soal and Piero Atchugarry are pleased to present ‘Finds taken for wonders’ a solo exhibition at the gallery’s Survey space in Miami. The exhibition will open from the 15th of April. 

APRIL ‘23 - ART BRUSSELS 

Chris Soal and WHATIFTHEWORLD present a fresh array of work for his sophmore year at Art Brussels. Art Brussels will run from the 20-23 of April. 

FEBRUARY ‘23 - ARCO MADRID

Chris Soal and Piero Atchugarry present a thoughtful collection of new work at ARCO Madrid. Soal’s work can be found at Booth 7A17 from the 22-26 of February. 

FEBRUARY ‘23 - INVESTEC ART FAIR CAPE TOWN

Chris Soal and WHATIFTHEWORLD present a fresh collection of work at Investec Art Fair. Soal’s work can be found at Booth D9 from the 17-19 of February, South Africa.

JANUARY ‘23 - ZONA MACO

Chris Soal and Eduardo Secci Gallery are pleased to present a diverse collection of new works at Zona Maco in Mexico City. The collection can be found at Booth D118.

︎Click here for more information.

DECEMBER ‘22 - VILLA-LEGODI CENRE FOR SCULPTURE

Chris Soal forms part of a group presentation alongside Walter Oltmann and Usha Seejarim in ‘A Quiet Focus’ at Nirox’s new centre, Villa-Legodi Centre for Sculpture.

︎Click here for more information. 

NOVEMBER ‘22 - SEEDS OF THE FIG

Chris Soal in ‘Seeds of the Fig’ a group, sculptural exhibition curated by Resevoir presented with  WHATIFTHEWORLD X Krone in Tulbagh, South Africa. 

︎Click here for more information.

OCTOBER ‘22 - 1-54 CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN ART FAIR

Chris Soal forms part of a group presentation by WHATIFTHEWORLD at the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair in London. 

︎Click here for more information.

Chris Soal 

SEPTEMBER ‘22 - KIAF SEOUL

Chris Soal forms part of a group presentation by Eduardo Secci Gallery at KIAF in Seoul, South Korea. View the presentation at Booth A55.

︎Click here for more information.


APRIL ‘22 - ART BRUSSELS

WHATIFTHEWORLD and Chris Soal are pleased to present a solo presentation of new works at Art Brussels 2022. View the presentation at Booth D20 in the Discovery Section.

︎Click here for more information.




PRESS


PALIMPSEST: CHRIS SOAL’S SCULPTURES REVEAL MANY MEANINGS
︎ by Drew Haller for That Eclectic

INTERVIEW
︎ with Adam Hencz for Artland

INTERVIEW
︎ with Artoday

INTERVIEW
︎ on As below so above for Tongues

INTERVIEW 
︎ with Emilie Froment for Habitat Magazine

AMORPHOUS - THE SCULPTURES
OF CHRIS SOAL

︎ by Andrew Lasane for COLOSSAL

JOHANNESBURG ARTIST’S TOOTHPICK SCULPTURES POINT WAY FOR AFRICAN ABSTRACTION
︎ by Graham Wood on Wanted Online

FIELD OF VISION REVIEW
︎ by Ashraf Jamal on ArtThrob