Artists

Terence King is a South African artist and academic who holds a Master of Arts in Fine Arts from the University of the Witwatersrand, awarded in 1978.

King's practice is rooted in close observation of the physical world, yet it moves beyond literal representation to explore how environments bear the traces of history. His work investigates how meaning is inscribed in place. Using a combination of detailed, recognisable imagery and loosely layered, excavated paint surfaces, King evokes the tension between the un-tamed nature of the landscape and the structured imposition of human intervention. His visual language draws on familiar elements from built and natural environments to reflect the layered, often contested histories embedded in specific sites.

King enjoyed a distinguished academic career, serving as Professor of Art History and Fine Art at the University of KwaZulu-Natal until his retirement. Prior to that, he taught at the University of the Witwatersrand, University of South Africa and Natal Technikon. Over the course of his career, he has participated in approximately 50 group exhibitions and 14 solo or joint exhibitions. His work is held in major public collections, including the South African National Gallery, Durban Art Gallery, Tatham Art Gallery in Pietermaritzburg and four university collections.