BIOGRAPHY
(b. 1958 Riversdale, South Africa)
Shany van den Berg's artistic practice stems from her life as a woman, mother and professional artist. Renowned for her technical acumen, subtle symbolism and agility in slipping between portraiture, figurative, abstraction and sculptural, she investigates and interrogates the critical contemporary themes of womanhood, identity, family, and connectedness to mother earth. With subtle symbolism and technical agility, her artwork is diverse, ranging from portraiture, figuration and mixed media, combined with abstraction and sculpture. She reconstitutes her stream of consciousness as both fable and history, binding together a layered ‘map’. This serves as both a solitary interior landscape of self-reflection and the more universal language of humanity's journey through one’s life. Shany van den Berg’s artworks poignantly remind us that we are all unique and inescapably part of one human race and planet.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2023
Garden of Her Dreams, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa
2022
Her Garden, Everard Read, London, UK
2021
nÅs / ons, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
2019
Dreampond, Everard Read Gallery, London, UK
2018
Fluisteringe vanaf n Leliepoel/ Whispers from a Lily Pond, Everard Read, Franschhoek, South Africa
2017
(in)filtrati on of time, CIRCA gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
2015
Al(l)een, The Gallery at Grande Provence, Franschhoek, South Africa
New works, Gallery at La Grande Provence, Franschhoek, South Africa
2013
Hinterland, Everard Read, Johannesburg, South Africa
2011
Siel van my Vel, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
2010
Solo, IS Art at Le Quartier Francais, Franschhoek, South Africa
2008
In gesprek met, Smelik & Stokking, Den Haag, Netherlands
2007
..(h)erken...ken...en..., Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
Gedagtes wat reis, My Own Choice Gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2006
Dwaaltuin, Grande Provence Gallery, Franschhoek, South Africa
Die Fees Gees, Cultivaria at Vrede en Lust Wine Estate, Paarl, South Africa
2003
Construction site, Limeline Design, Cape Town, South Africa
2001
Vlug in tyd, Dorp Street Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa
1999
My shadow, my echo, me, Bang the Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2022
Spring, group show, Everard Read, Franschhoek, South Africa
Things I’d like to remember, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
2021
Offering, Everard Read, Franschhoek, South Africa
2020
On Being, Everard Read, Franschhoek, South Africa
Journeys of the Mind, Everard Read, Franschhoek, South Africa
Toe ek 21 was, Toyota US Woordfees, Stellenbosch, South Africa
STILL, Everard Read, UK & South Africa
2019
Selected Artists curated by Trent Read, Knysna Fine Art Gallery, Knysna, South Africa
The Ampersand Foundation / 21 Year Celebration Exhibition/ A Vision of Jack Ginsberg, UJ Art Gallery
Johannesburg, South Africa
Southern Aspect, Everard Read, London, UK
Winter, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
Synchronous, Knysna Fine Art, Knysna, South Africa
2018
Winter, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
2017
Investec Cape Town Art Fair, with Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
Winter, CIRCA, Cape Town, South Africa
People and Portraiture, CIRCA, Cape Town, South Africa
Summer, Everard Read, London, UK
Winter, Everard Read, London, UK
2016
Investec Cape Town Art Fair, with Everard Read, Cape Town, South africa
Opening Exhibition, Everard Read, London, UK
Winter Collection, Group Show, Everard Read Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
2015
Fear & Loss – Industrial Karoo Group installation, Pretoria Art Museum, South Africa
100 Years, Die Burger Artscape Group Exhibition Cape Town, South Africa
Summer Sculpture Garden Group Exhibition Mount Nelson Hotel Gardens, Everard Read, Cape Town,
South Africa
Homage, Group Exhibition, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
Winter, Group Exhibition, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
2014
Summer Season, group exhibition, D-Street Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Fear & Loss - Industrial Karoo Group Exhibition, Oliewenhuis Art Museum, Bloemfontein, SA
Summer of Sculpture III, group exhibition, Mount Nelson Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa
Magicus, group exhibition, D-Street Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa
2013
Cape Town Re-Imagined, group exhibition, Suidoosterfees, Cape Town, South Africa
100, group exhibition, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
Universal Suffering, group exhibition, War Museum, Bloemfontein, South Africa
Femininity, group exhibition curated by Eva Roer, Germany
SAADA Antique Fair, Pier Rabe Antiques, Franschhoek, South Africa
Hiernamaals/Hereafter, group show, Slee Gallery, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Binnehemels, group show, Red, Black & White, Stellenbosch, South Africa
2012
Small Works, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
A Summer of Sculpture, group show, Mount Nelson, Cape Town, South Africa
2010
Collaboration with Mogalakwena Art and Craft in Limpopo for Waterkloof Biodynamic Wine estate
2009
The Great South African Nude, Everard Read Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa
Sex, Power, Money, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
2008
Confluence, a two-woman exhibition between China & South Africa, Everard Read, Cape Town,
South Africa
Art Fair Utrecht, Netherlands
2006
Small works, group show, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
Shany van den Berg / Strijdom van der Merwe, Grande Provence Gallery, Franschhoek, South Africa
2005
Three , trio, Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
2000-2
Shany van den Berg/Alex Hamilton, Bang the Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
2000
A Celebration of Art & Technology, group show in aid of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund,
sponsored by Hewlett Packard
COMPETITIONS & PROJECTS
2022
Woordfees / Stellenbosch, SA in conjunction with Stauss & Co, South Africa
2021
Sanlam Portrait Award Finalist: Rust en Vrede Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
2019
Sanlam Portrait Top 40 Finalist ‘Leah se Water’ Rust-en-Vrede Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
2016
BP Portrait Finalist, ’SELF’ Portrait Gallery, London
BP Travel Award Shortlisted Finalist, Portrait Gallery, London
Art Patron during 2016 of MAD Leadership Foundation / Collaboration with students, Stellenbosch,
South Africa
2013
Fellowship granted by the Ampersand Foundation, New York
2011
Bright Ideas Ceramic art / Light from Africa Foundation, Cape Town, South Africa
2010
BP Award Portrait Finalist, ‘Bloedlyn/Bloodline Sannie en Leah’ , Portrait Gallery, London
2 Textile wall artworks / 6m by 2m made between Mogalakwena Art and Craft center in Limpopo
and Shany van den Berg for Waterkloof Wine Estate, Somerset West, South Africa
2009
BP Award Portrait Finalist, ’Dit is ek Gladys’ Portrait Gallery London
2008
Art exchange / Hubei Institute of Art, China
Art Fair Utrecht / My Own Choice
2007
AAF Amsterdam / My Own Choice
2005
Sasol New Signatures / finalist
2004
Community Arts Workshop at Castle of Good Hope / Everard Read Gallery Cape Town, South Africa
2000
Hewlett Packard Project and Auction Johannesburg in support of Nelson Mandela Children's Fund,
South Africa
1990
Corobrick Ceramic Competition Cape Town / finalist
ART RESIDENCIES
2023
Residency at Cite Internationale des Arts in Paris / France
2013
Fellowship to The Ampersand Foundation in New York USA
2007
Art Exchange Hubei Institute of Art in Wuhan Central China and Everard Read, Cape Town, South Africa
2004
Community Arts Workshop where 10 artists from diverse walks of life exploring the first 10 years
of democracy through individual and collaborative artworks.
Everard Read, Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town, South Africa
1998
One of 12 artists, 6 from South Africa and 6 from Germany working together in Lauenberg, Germany.
COLLECTIONS
Works included in private collections in South Africa, London, France, Germany, Luxenburg, Caymen Islands and U.S.A
