Artist Biography
Lelani Nicolaisen is a South African artist and curator. Her practice spans painting, sculpture and painting installation mostly comprised of canvas, paint, thread and found objects. Space has become a fundamental part of her work in both her paintings and installations. Nicolaisen explores notions of the everyday human connection with the spaces they are immersed within. Her paintings capture the often overlooked in-between moments in life - the forgotten moments or spaces that aren’t seen as worthy of remembering. When looking from a distance, these moments become precious as one could never return to that exact moment in time. Nicolaisen photographs scenes from her everyday surroundings of people and spaces that are known or unfamiliar to her. These photographs are later revisited to be translated into cherished paintings. By excluding urban elements, she elevates the natural environment within her work. Her work confronts ideas of loss, trauma and renewal.
Nicolaisen has a degree in Fine Arts and a Masters in Fine Arts from the University of Pretoria. Nicolaisen also participated in the International Curatorial Program as well as the Inclusive Curatorial Practices: Accessibility, Representation and Diversity Program, both at Node Centre for Curatorial Studies. Nicolaisen has lectured as a guest lecturer in Fine Arts at the School of Arts of the University of Pretoria from 2015 to 2023. She has artworks in the University of Pretoria’s public collection and in the Art Bank of South Africa. In 2012 Nicolaisen represented the University of Pretoria by exhibiting work at World Event Young Artists in Nottingham, England. Nicolaisen has participated in many group exhibitions in South Africa, including at Nirox Sculpture Park, The Association of Arts Pretoria, Art.B and the Pretoria Art Museum.
Current Exhibition
Reverie at Long Street Art Lovers 1932 - May 2025
An online exhibition with Geneve Potgieter, Josly Liebenberg and Lelani Nicolaisen. Curated by Micro.Exhibits. [Visit Reverie at Art Lovers 1932]
Selected Exhibitions
2025
Reverie, an exhibition with Geneve Potgieter, Josly Liebenberg and Lelani Nicolaisen. Curated by Micro.Exhibits in collaboration with Long Street Art Lovers 1932 , May 2025. Online @(https://www.artlovers1932.co.za/Reverie/).
2023
Pieces and the World they Inhabit, a group exhibition curated by Lelani Nicolaisen. Association of Arts Pretoria. Pretoria. August 2023.
World Art Day exhibition 2023, a group exhibition by the Association of Arts Pretoria in collaboration with SANAVA. Association of Arts Pretoria. Pretoria. 15 April to 6 May 2023.
Textured Surfaces (extended), a group exhibition of staff of the University of Pretoria, curated by Avi Sooful, Lelani Nicolaisen with the University of Pretoria (UP) Museums. The University of Pretoria, Rectorate Foyer. Pretoria. March to December 2023.
2022
Textured Surfaces, a group exhibition of staff of the University of Pretoria, curated by Avi Sooful and Teboho Lebakeng. The Pretoria Art Museum. Pretoria. December 2022 to February 2023.
Secret (until its not), a group exhibition curated by Zelda Stroud and Will Roux. ArtBox Gallery. Pretoria. November 2022.
Cuaderno, a group exhibition with Sarel Petrus, Shenaz Mahomed, Nicolene Louw, Antoinette du Plessis and Lelani Nicolaisen at Art.b. Cape Town.
Association of Arts Pretoria's 75th Birthday Exhibition of artists between the ages of 20 - 40. Association of Arts Pretoria. Pretoria.
2020
Becoming: what is & what is not – New Acquisitions of the Art Bank of South Africa, an exhibition to host the annual Free State exhibition of the Art Bank of South Africa that showcases South African emerging artists at the Oliewenhuis Art Museum. Bloemfontein.
2018
Ordinary People, Extraordinary Lives, curated by Gordon Froud at the Foxwood House, Johannesburg. Travelled to The Viewing Room Gallery, Pretoria.
In the public domain, shifting boundaries between the private and the public domain, an exhibition by lecturers of the University of the Pretoria at the Pretoria Arts Museum. Pretoria.
2017
Open Laboratory, NIROX Winter 2017 Sculpture Exhibition. National inter- institutional show: TUT, UCT, UJ, Unisa, UP, Wits. Krugersdorp.
A Different View, paintings by Lelani Nicolaisen. Pretoria Arts Association. Pretoria.
2016
Tempo, University of Pretoria – curated by Natalie Fossey. Pretoria.
Soil[ed], a Masters student exchange programme (between Michaelis School of Fine Arts and the University of Pretoria’s Department of Fine Arts), University of Pretoria. Pretoria.
Awesome Women’s exhibition at the Pretoria Association of Arts – curated by Avi Sooful. Pretoria.
Young Collectors II exhibition at Fried Contemporary – curated by Shenaz Mohamed. Pretoria.
2015
And/or exhibition, a Masters student exchange programme (between Michaelis School of Fine Arts and the University of Pretoria’s Department of Fine Arts), University of Cape Town. Cape Town.
Progeny at Fried Contemporary. Pretoria.
Staff exhibition of the University of Pretoria at the Anton van Wouw House in Pretoria – curated by Johan Thom. Pretoria.
2014
Shifts practice-led post-graduate conference and exhibition, University of Pretoria. Pretoria.
Eyetunes, Aardklop – curated by Magdel van Rooyen. Potchefstroom.
2013
Hidden Urban Histories at the University of Pretoria. Pretoria.
168 Hours, Aardklop – curated by Magdel van Rooyen. Potchefstroom.
2012
World Event Young Artists, Bonington Gallery. Nottingham, England.
Rector's Ball Exhibition, the University of Pretoria, Pretoria.
2011
Swift Transitions Graduate Fine Arts Exhibition, Pretoria Art Museum. Pretoria.
Curation
2024 - Onwards
Curator at Micro.Exhibits.
2023
Artology: select artworks of the University of Pretoria Museums at the Javett-UP Art Centre, Pretoria, South Africa. April to December 2023.
2023
Pieces and the World They Inhabit at the Pretoria Arts Association, Pretoria, South Africa. August 2023.
2019 - 2023
Curator of the Edoardo Villa Museum and exhibitions and galleries at the University of Pretoria Museums.
2014
Co-curator at the Turbine Art Fair’s University of Pretoria’s Fine Art stall, Johannesburg.
Education
2022 -2023 Inclusive Curatorial Practices: Accessibility, Representation and Diversity program, Node Centre for curatorial studies
2020 - 2021 Node International Curatorial Program, Node Centre for curatorial studies
2015 - 2017 Masters in Fine Arts, University of Pretoria
2008 - 2011 BA Fine Arts, University of Pretoria
2007 Fashion Design, Bloemfontein Fashion Academy, Bloemfontein, South Africa
Awards and Achievements
2016
Finalist Thami Mnyele Fine Arts Awards. Ekuruleni. South Africa.
2015 - 2016
Recipient of an NRF (National Research Foundation of South Africa) grantholder-linked bursary for 2015 and 2016.
2012
Represented the University of Pretoria at World Event Young Artists, Nottingham. England.
2009
Achievement award for best 2nd year Fine Arts student. Department of Fine Arts, University of Pretoria. South Africa.
2007
First price in the Bloemfontein Fashion Academy annual Fashion show.
2006
Vrouekeur and Bloemfontein Fashion Academy Fashion Design Competition, overall winner of a fashion design bursary. South Africa.
Public Collections
University of Pretoria
Art Bank of South Africa