Francois Viljoen (1967 - ) is a South African artist currently living in Southwestern Germany, where he continues to create and cast work for exhibitions in both Europe and South Africa. Deeply influenced by the traditions of romanticism, symbolism, and the organic forms of nature, his practice spans drawing, oil painting, and sculpture.
Working almost entirely by hand, Viljoen uses traditional materials – clay, plaster, and bronze – applying the ancient lost wax casting method to produce intricate vessels and figurative sculptures. His Bronze Bowl & Vessel collection draws on historical references from Tibetan singing bowls to Egyptian ritual forms, reimagined through a contemporary lens.
Often featuring lesser-known animals and subtle narratives, his sculptures are laced with quiet humour and symbolic depth. For Viljoen, art is a way of “bringing order to chaos, soul-wise,” and his aim remains to “make the invisible, visible.”
Recently, his work has begun to explore the digital age and its impact on the human condition – balancing ancient techniques with present-day themes.