/ Exhibitions

North Gallery

Diek Grobler - Take a leaf from my Book 15 August to 5 September 2026

A new exhibition by Diek Grobler, Take a leaf from my Book, will take place at the Association of Arts Pretoria from 15 August to 5 September 2026. This will be another exciting, not to be missed, exhibition.

In Take a leaf from my Book, Diek Grobler revisits his informal archives and sketchbooks from the past four decades to revive lingering ideas and stories that have been leitmotifs in his work through a long and diverse career.

As is often the case when he exhibits, Grobler takes a new technical approach in the bulk of the works on show. The 30 multi-media works combine digital drawing, photography, printing, hand drawing and gouache painting in a body of sketchbook-sized (A4) paintings which look both surprisingly new, and very familiar. New, because the adjusted technical approach results in new ways of depicting recurring themes. Familiar, because Grobler’s recurring themes are all present – paper boats and jets, birds, trees, puppets – depicted with skill and humour.

The exhibition will be opened by Pieter van Heerden on Saturday 15 August 2026 at 11:00.

Main Gallery

The Glass Safari Exhibition

25 July to 15 August 2026

The Glass Safari 2026 exhibition exhibition brings together works that trace the breadth of contemporary glass art in Southern Africa and beyond: pieces by leading South African glass artists, works by the international artists who joined Glass Safari 2026, and new work created during the Biennale’s three project weeks in Pretoria and at Ngwenya in eSwatini. A collective display of Graal works, a glass-jewellery showcase curated by Melanie Dawson and a presentation of student work completes the show.

South Africa’s leading glass artists are all exhibiting. A highlight of the exhibition is a collective display of Graal works created during Smelt Sessions with David Reade. Graal is an intricate, multi-stage glassblowing technique and these collaborative pieces represent the hands of artists, makers and students working side-by-side.

This exhibition brings three generations of glass into one room — the past, in the work of David Reade, a pioneer of South African studio glass; the present in today’s practising artists and lecturers; and the future in student work shown publicly for the first time.

The exhibition is curated by Caitlin Greenberg, Lothar Böttcher, Martli Jansen van Rensburg and Melanie Dawson.

Gallery Chaton

Valeria Talian - Altars and Manifestations of the Subconscious Heart From 15 August to 5 September 2026 the Association of Arts Pretoria will be exhibiting Valeria Talian’s works under the title Altars and Manifestations of the Subconscious Heart.

The artist states: “This is a collection of twelve intimate mixed media works, each housed within a handcrafted frame that becomes an extension of the artwork itself. Together, they form quiet spaces for reflection, inviting viewers to pause and consider the experiences, emotions, and observations that connect us all. There are parts of ourselves that quietly shape who we are. They appear in the way we notice the world, the memories we carry, the courage we discover, the stories we tell ourselves, and the small moments that stay with us long after they have passed.”

Each piece explores a different idea, yet they are united by a common thread: the belief that nothing we experience is ever truly insignificant. Talian’s works celebrate the quiet architecture of an inner life - its resilience, curiosity, wonder, vulnerability, and capacity for hope.

Opening at the same time on Saturday 15 August 2026 at 11:00, is Diek Grobler’s Take a leaf from my book. Both exhibitions will be opened by Pieter van Heerden.