Diek Grobler is a storyteller. His work is concerned with the everyday struggle of everyman. Very few of us live epic lives, and Grobler explores the little disasters and small miracles which define our mundane existence.
Diek’s animated films have featured in the official programme of over 100 international animation festivals, earning him several awards along the way.
Grobler’s art practice covers a variety of media and disciplines. Besides fine art Diek has illustrated children’s books, directed and produced short animation films, and staged art performances. In 2014 and 2016 he was the creative director for an acclaimed animated poetry project called Filmverse produced by the Afrikaans Language and Arts Association (ATKV) in South Africa.
In a career spanning four decades, Diek Grobler has participated in solo and group exhibitions on a national and international level.
A few notable events include participating in ‘Jump into the unknown’, an official collateral event at the 2015 Venice Biennale, the International Olympic Committee art exhibition, Geneva, Switzerland (2004); as part of the South African Delegation to the Delphic Games, Kutching, Malaysia (2005); Nine Dragonheads environmental art symposium, Cheong Ju City, South Korea (2004); and Biel/Bienne, Switzerland (2011); group Exhibitions at the Korean Society of Illustrators in Prague and Peking (2002), the 13th Annual Open Exhibition of the Royal Over-Seas League: Over-Seas House, London, and the Royal College of Art, Edinburgh (1996).
Diek Grobler was born in the Northern part of South Africa. He obtained his BA Fine Arts degree from the University of Pretoria in 1987 and his Masters Degree in Fine Arts from the University of the Witwatersrand in 1996 and a PhD in Art in 2022 from the University of South Africa. He has exhibited professionally since 1988 and his work is included in several major public and corporate collections in South Africa.