BIOGRAPHY

 

Pieter Cronjé (born 1961, Oudtshoorn, South Africa) is a self-taught painter who began painting as a child and studied History of Art through UNISA. He is also a lawyer holding a Master's Degree in Human Rights Law from the University of South Africa (1995).

 

After more than seventeen years away from painting — during which he worked as a prosecutor, military law officer, and ultimately as an Independent International Human Rights Consultant — Cronjé returned actively to the studio in 2013. His legal career took him to 97 countries — working professionally in 67 of them — where he trained government officials in human rights, law enforcement, anti-trafficking, and community policing. These experiences form the bedrock of his artistic subject matter.

 

His paintings are held in private collections across Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Palestine, Samoa, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, The Gambia, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

 

1983            First and Second Place, Painting Division — KUESTA National Arts Festival, 

                    Bloemfontein

1988            Merit Award (Painting) — SASOL New Signatures Exhibition, SAAA (NTvl), Pretoria

EDUCATION

 

1995            Master of Laws (LLM) — Human Rights Law, Environmental Law, International Law, 

                    UNISA

1985            LLB — Potchefstroom University, South Africa

1983            B Juris — Potchefstroom University, South Africa

                    History of Art 1 & 2 — UNISA (minor subjects)

 

EXHIBITION RECORD

 

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

 

2026            De Poort Art Gallery, Pretoria, South Africa

2024            Spectra Art Gallery, Lyttleton, Pretoria, South Africa

2019            Johan van Heerden Gallery, Pretoria, South Africa

 

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

 

2026            "Big Love Sacred Heart" — Johan van Heerden Gallery, Pretoria

2026            "Postcards" — Johan van Heerden Gallery, Pretoria

2026            "New Beginnings" — Skukan Art Gallery, Pretoria

2025            Anton Smit Sculpture Garden, Bronkhorstspruit

2024            Skukan Art Gallery, Pretoria

2023            Pretoria Kunsvereniging Lede Uitstalling, Pretoria

2023            The Viewing Room, Brooklyn, Pretoria

2023            POP UP Exhibition, Piccoli Nursery School, Pretoria

2022            "Mystic Boer" — Johan van Heerden Gallery, Pretoria

2022            "Postcards from the Edge" — Johan van Heerden Gallery, Pretoria

2021            Johan van Heerden Gallery, Pretoria

2020            "The Circus" — Inhabit Concept Centre at the Karoo Café, Pretoria

2020            "Mask on Mask" — Group Exhibition

2019            Exhibition with Joyce Carreira, Art Box Gallery, Pretoria

2019            "How Small Can You Go: Miniatures" — Art Box Gallery, Pretoria

2018            Pop Up Exhibition with Quintus Smit, Pretoria

 

COMMISSIONS & PUBLICATIONS

2017          Cover illustration — “The Model Law on Access to Information for Africa and other regional instruments: Soft Law and Human Rights in Africa” (ed. Ololade Shyllon) — Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria

2024          Logo — “Robben Island - African Black Oystercatcher Monitoring Project” 

2026          Logo — Compassionate Confronter – Online Journal, Centre for Good Governance in

                  Africa which is situated in the School of Social Innovation at Hugenote Kollege, Wellington

 

COLLECTIONS

 

Works held in private collections in: Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Denmark, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Palestine, Samoa, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, The Gambia, United Kingdom, United States of America.