KARLA NIXON
CV
Education
2017
Qualification: Masters in Fine Art (cum laude)
Institution: Durban University of Technology
Course: Masters: Fine Art
Topic: An Exploration of Transience in the Work of Selected Paper Artists, in the Context of Process Philosophy
Exhibitions
2025
THK Gallery, Cape Town, Collected memory (13 Feb - 31 March) (Group Exhibition)
State of the Art Gallery, Cape Town, Affairs of the Art (14 Feb- 3 March) (Group Exhibition)
2024
State of the Art Gallery, Cape Town, Paper Tale (Group Exhibition)
A Pick Gallery, Torino, Italy, Paperland (7 Feb-23 March) (Group Exhibition)
Rupert Museum, Stellenbosch, Cape Town, In conversation with their show AbstRact: the hidden synchrony (12 January- April) (Installation)
Tamasa Gallery, Durban, South Africa, One Sunday Afternoon (2-25 November 2024) (Solo Exhibition)
Melrose Gallery, Johannesburg, South Africa, The Agitation to regain… To regain, The regeneration of Africa (4 July- 25 August) (Group Exhibition)
2023
Shanghai International Paper Art Biennale, Shanghai, China. (1 November- 27 January 2024) (Group, Art Fair)
Art Collaboration Kyoto, Kyoto, Japan, with A Pick Gallery (28-30 October) (Group, Art Fair)
Estampa Contemporary Art Fair, Madrid, Spain, with A Pick Gallery. (19-22 October) (Group, Art Fair)
Lizamore Gallery, Woordfees, Stellenbosch, Cape Town, Borrel (7-15 October) (Group Exhibition)
RMB Latitude Art Fair, Johannesburg, 1+1, with Lizamore Gallery (Group, Art Fair)
(Un)expected Art Fair, Milan, Italy, with A Pick Gallery (Group, Art Fair)
Spier Wine Farm, Stellenbosch, Spier Light Art Exhibition (Group Exhibition)
State of the Art Gallery, Cape Town, Time and Tides: Awaits no man (Group Exhibition)
2022
A Pick Gallery, Torino, Italy, Landscapes of Hidden Words (Group Exhibition)
Origin Art, Johannesburg, Loud Speak (Group Exhibition)
KZNSA Gallery, Durban, Transience (Group Exhibition)
Lizamore, Fairland Gallery, Johannesburg, Underfoot (Solo Exhibition)
State of the Art, Cape Town, Winter Salon (Group Exhibition)
State of the Art Gallery, Cape Town, Abstract*d (Group Exhibition)
THK Gallery, Manor House Boshendal, Norval and Boschendal Collaboration, Flights of Fancy (Group Exhibition)
THK Gallery, Cape Town (Group Exhibition)
State of the Art Gallery, Cape Town, Art week (Group Exhibition)
2021
KZNSA Gallery, Durban, Commune, (Group Exhibition)
State of the Art Gallery, Cape Town, Crease (Solo Exhibition)
2020
Turbine Art Fair (online), KZNSA Gallery, Commune (Art Fair)
Turbine Art Fair (online), Mstudio Community, The limitless Mind (Art Fair)
2019
KZNSA Gallery, Durban, Just Listed (Solo Exhibition)
KZNSA Gallery, Durban, Know this place, (Group Exhibition)
KZNSA Gallery, Durban, Creative Block Project Exhibition, (Group Exhibition)
Phansi Museum, Durban, Be Inspired by Phansi (Group Exhibition)
State of the Art Gallery, Cape Town, The Durban July we make (Group Exhibition)
Mbombela Civic Centre, Mpumalanga, National Innibos Craft Award 2019, Finalist (Competition)
RUST-EN-VREDE Gallery, Cape Town, Birds (Group Exhibition)
KZNSA Gallery, Durban, Umhlaba | Land (members exhibition) (Group Exhibition)
2018
Art.b Gallery, Bellville, Cape Town, #Paper. (Group Exhibition)
SA Gallery, Johannesburg, Absa l'atelier exhibition top 100 (Competition)
ABSA Gallery, Johannesburg, Absa l'atelier exhibition top 100 (Competition)
Bremischen Bürgerschaft, Bremen, Germany. (Small Solo).
State of the Art Gallery, Cape Town, The marks we make (Group Exhibition)
Daville Baillie Gallery, Johannesburg, (Showcase)
KZNSA Park Gallery, Durban, (Showcase)
2017
ArtSpace Durban, Durban, Together apart (Group Exhibition)
ABSA Gallery, Johannesburg, Absa l'atelier exhibition top 100 (Competition)
Pretoria Art Museum, Pretoria, Sasol Signatures, Finalist (Competition)
ICC, Durban, Essence Festival, Enchant. Celebrate. Create. Disrupt (Group Exhibition)
2016
ArtSpace Durban, Durban, Once More (Solo Exhibition)
DF Contemporary, Cape Town, Artemisia (Group Exhibition)
Loading Bay Gallery, Durban, Own a Space-July (Group Exhibition)
Loading Bay Gallery, Durban, Own a Space-August (Group Exhibition)
Breathing Space, Durban, Transition (Group Exhibition)
2015
Open Plan Studio, Durban, Tracksides (Group Exhibition)
Fringe Art Fair, Arts on Main, Johannesburg, Curate. a. space, curated by Carol Brown (Group Exhibition)
Hilton Arts Festival, Hilton, Eye Candy, curated by Carol Brown (Group Exhibition)
DUT Gallery, DUT Staff Exhibition (Group Exhibition)
Breathing Space, Anthropology III, curated by Grace Kotze (Group Exhibition)
2014
Durban Art Gallery, Looking Forward: Our lives in 2034 (Group Exhibition)
2013
ArtSpace Durban, Absa L’atilier Art Competition
ABSA Gallery, Johannesburg, Absa L’atilier Art Competition top 100
2012
The Collective, Durban, Three Boys and a Girl (Group Exhibition)
The Collective, Durban, Black and Blue (Group Exhibition)
ArtSpace Durban, Science Art/ Art Science (Group Exhibition)
ArtSpace Durban, d’ Art Exchange and Artists (Group Exhibition)
ArtSpace Durban, Absa L’atilier Art Competition
Pretoria Art Museum, Pretoria, Sasol Signatures (Finalist)
2011
Durban University of Technology Art Gallery, Durban, Reuse (Group Exhibition)
2010
Durban University of Technology Art Gallery, Durban, Amazing Starts (Group Exhibition)
Professional Activities
2019-2024
Lecturer
Institution: Durban University of Technology
Department: Arts Extended Program
Subjects Taught: Two Dimensional Studies, Three Dimensional Studies, Arts Appreciation
2018
Lecturer
Institution: Durban University of Technology
Department: Fine Art and Jewellery Design (Fine Art)
Subjects Taught: Communications III (Proffessional Art Practice), Drawing II, Drawing III
2014-2017
Lecturers Assistant
Institution: Durban University of Technology
Department: Fine Art and Jewellery Design (Fine Art)
Subjects Taught: Communications III (Proffessional Art Practice), Sculpture III, Theory III, Drawing II
2015-2017
Lecturer
Institution: Durban University of Technology
Department: Dental Technology
Subject: Dental Drawing
2013-2016
Curators Assistant
Institution: Durban University of Technology
Department: Art Gallery
2015-2016
Curators Assistant
Company: Curate a Space
Curatorial Projects and Events
2016
Assistant Curator for exhibition Through Positive Eyes, Durban Art Gallery, Durban.
Assistant Curator for exhibition 20 Years Later: A Fresh Look at the Bill of Rights, African Art Center, Durban.
2014
Event Organizer/ Founder, #WhatifthisCity, (art event), DUT Art Gallery and Surroundings, Durban
Assistant Event Organizer Interpret Durban 5 (art event and competition), Live the Venue, Durban
Residencies
2017 -2018
Bremer Kunststipendium Residency, Germany (November 2017 - January 2018)
Collections
Public Collections: Durban Art Gallery, Durban, South Africa
National Art Bank, Bloemfontein, South Africa
Private collections in: Durban, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Lebanon, Spain, Holland, Australia, Germany
Associated Galleries
The Kwazulu Natal Society of the Arts, 166 Bulwer Rd, Bulwer, Durban, South Africa
Tamasa Gallery,740 Currie Rd, Durban, South Africa
State of the Art Gallery, 61 Shortmarket Street, Cape Town, South Africa
THK, 52 Waterkant St, Cape Town, South Africa
Heather Gaudio Fine Art, 66 Elm St, New Canaan, CT 06840, United States
A Pick Gallery, Via Bernardino Galliari, 15/C, 10125 Torino TO, Italy
Publications
Catalogues
Nixon,K. Once More. 2016.
Books
Benetton, L, Daehnke, N, van Rensburg, D . South Africa: 10 x 12 @ SA: Contemporary Artists from South Africa, 2014, Italy: Fabrica
Online Media
Mahala: www.mahala.co.za/?s=Karla+Nixon+ (2015)
Visi: www.visi.co.za/lifestyle/freshly-cut/
Durban is Yours: durbanisyours.co.za/2013/02/karla-nixon/
http://www.schwachhausen-online.de/nixon/ (2018)
http://www.bremer-heimstiftung.de/netzwerke/kunststipendium/ (2018)
Published Magazine
Daly, W. October 2013. Get It (16-17)
Botha, C. August 2017. Garden and Home (18)
Spring 2017. Southern Vines (26)
June/July 2021. Visi (158)
Catalogues Featured In
Absa L’atilier Art Competition 2017
Sasol New Signatures Art Competition 2017
Imagine the untapped talent of the subconscious, Absa L’atilier Art Competition 2013
Sasol New Signatures Art Competition 2012
Biography
Karla Nixon was born in 1990 in Durban South African, however she spent her early childhood on a sugarcane estate in Swaziland before relocating to Durban. She is a Durban based artist who predominantly works with paper. She hand-cuts and sculpts intricate images and objects, drawn from her surrounding environments. She has used this medium to explore a multitude of themes each with underlying notions of Space and Place. Although paper is central to her practice she works across disciplines with painting, sculpture, mixed media, collage, video, and installation.
Nixon completed her Master’s degree in Fine Art in 2017 at the Durban University of Technology, South Africa. Her degree focused on transience in the work of paper artists, which she completed with Cum Laude. During her studies, she received a few awards, namely the Sam Newton Trophy and the Deans Merit award, and was awarded an NRF Scholarship. Nixon was awarded and completed a 3-month artist residency in Bremen, Germany, in 2017-18. She has been selected as a finalist in both the Sasol and ABSA art competitions a number of times. Nixon has participated in a number of group shows in Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg, and has had a few small solo shows the most recent being, Just Underfoot, in 2022 at the Lizamore, Fairland Gallery, Johannesburg. Her work is in a number of private collections in South Africa, Lebanon, Australia, Spain and Holland. As well as in public collections including; the Durban Art Gallery and The National Art Bank. Nixon is currently a lecturer in the Arts Extended Program at The Durban University of Technology.
Statement
My artistic journey and conceptual framework have evolved in tandem with my life experiences, delving into themes such as middle-class white suburbia, philosophical explorations of transience, ideas surrounding home from both capitalist and personal-theoretical perspectives, and introspective analyses of material culture, particularly textiles. Despite their apparent diversity, these explorations are united by the overarching theme of space and place—our innate human quest to define, inhabit, and sometimes exploit these constructs.
Working predominantly with paper in both two and three-dimensional formats, my art blurs traditional boundaries, residing at the intersection of painting and sculpture, collage and textile, craft and fine art. It is within this liminal space that my creativity thrives, drawing inspiration and conceptual depth.
While paper remains a primary medium, my practice spans various disciplines including painting, sculpture, mixed media, collage, video, and installation. Through these diverse mediums, I aim to celebrate and explore universal concepts such as form, mass, proportion, rhythm, structure, and colour, crafting visual landscapes that evoke a visceral response, my work engages with rhythm, movement, and colour to create immersive encounters with form and texture. While elements of order and repetition provide structure, the experience remains dynamic, inviting the viewer into a dialogue of sensation and material presence.
Central to my artistic inquiry are the dualities inherent in the natural world—the perpetual dance between creation and destruction, order and chaos. These themes echo throughout my creative process, where torn fragments of paper are painstakingly reassembled into vibrant compositions, sparking new dialogues of colour, texture, and form. Each artwork becomes a microcosm of ordered entropy, where seemingly insignificant fractions merge to form moments of clarity amidst the chaos.