FRANCOIS COERTZE
Is a self taught artist who learned pottery from his mother and welding from his father.
Greatly influenced by renowned sculptor Phil Minnaar who taught him basic techniques, Francois’ motto is: “make do with what you have.”
He works in various mediums creating moments captured in time that resonates with the viewer. To him, a sculpture, just like a photograph or painting is action in motion... A moment captured in time... A figure trying to break free.
His works, ranging from realistic to the abstract contemporary, form part of various private collections both in South Africa and abroad. Francois has taken part in various group as well as solo exhibitions since 2009.
Whether coffee table sized like his famed “Majestic Horse” (2018) in bronze .... or life-size, like “Try. No Try” (2018) - an interactive work commissioned for permanent display at the Loftus Park Mall (Pretoria, South Africa) that celebrates rugby - his art always touches and inspires... .
He believes art is not merely a form of expression, it's a means to effect social change and can challenge society's assumptions. This belief inspired a sculpture named “The Preservator” - a rhinoceros warrior branding a sword, trying to fight off its pending extinction through poaching. The sculpture spent a few months in the Klapperkop Nature Reserve, and was then acquired by a private collector.
“The Preservator” sparked wide media interest, provoking comments like:
“A rhino sculpture became the talk of the town after it recently disappeared from the Fort Klapperkop heritage site.” Jason Milford REKORD PTA East
Newspaper, Jan 26, 2018
“It created awareness and was something that had a positive impact on people’s lives.” - Councilor Shawn Wilkinson
“This steel sculpture consisting of a rhino and an oxpecker overlooks the heritage site, and symbolizes a guardian of the site.” Dewald Lotter, RideMagazine ; January 2017
Last here Francois was commissioned to do a one and a half life sized bust for the Ukrainian Institute at the Botswana University, of Taras Shefchenko, a founding father of the Ukrainian people.
Earlier in 2026 a private collector from Switzerland acquired three of his latest bronze sculptures.
