Karlien van Rooyen (b. 1991, South Africa) is a Cape Town-based artist whose practice is shaped by an unconventional life of frontline activism, medical science, and participation in social transformation.
Originally trained in medical science with a focus on neuroscience, she later worked as a full-time activist, spending six years in remote blockades engaged in legal resistance against corporate misconduct. These experiences profoundly shaped her worldview and now echo through her sculptural work.
Turning to art as a form of healing following her departure from frontline activism, Karlien completed a degree in Contemporary Art at the University of South Australia in 2017, where she was awarded the MinterEllison Award for Outstanding Creative Potential. In 2018, she received an International Project Grant to undertake a seven-week ceramic residency in Jingdezhen, China—the historic center of porcelain production.
Her work draws inspiration from the wild landscapes of South Africa; through her sculpture, she continues to navigate the complexities of the human condition and its entanglement with the natural world.
Education
B.A. Contemporary Art - University of South Australia
2014 - 2016
Medical Science, Neuroscience - Flinders University, Australia
2010 - 2021
Selected Exhibitions
(Bold titles are linked)
The Journey of Life - Homo Faber, Venice
2025
Clay Awards - Rust-en-Vrede Gallery, South Africa
2024
AWC Contemporary - International Sculpture Park, Dubai
2024
1-54 London – Somerset House, London, England
2023
Enter Art Fair – THK Gallery, Copenhagen, Denmark
2023
Unfold – 99 Loop Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
2020
Shaping Things – SMAC Gallery, Cape Town, South Africa
2020
Eight Fingers Crossed – FELT Space, Adelaide, South Australia
2019
[Solo] InVivo – Worth Gallery – Fisher Jeffries Gallery, Adelaide, South Australia
2018
[Solo] Smoke That Thunders – Troppo Gallery, Adelaide, South Australia
2017
[Solo] Bush Dream Fever – Troppo Gallery, Adelaide, South Australia
2016
[Solo] Roo’d & BBQ’d – Adelaide Fringe, Adelaide, South Australia
2015
[Solo] Astraya’ and The Furrowed Brows – SALA Urban Cow Gallery, Adelaide, South Australia
2014
[Solo] Brazen – Adelaide Fringe Higher Ground Gallery, Adelaide, South Australia
2013
Selected Group Exhibitions
Homecoming, A Renewal To Self - Marvol Gallery, Hazendal Estate
2025
Going Guerilla – Eclectica Contemporary, Cape Town
2024
Square – SALA Whitmore Gallery, Adelaide, South Australia
2019
DWELL – Worth Gallery The Parade, Adelaide, South Australia
2018
Advertiser Contemporary Art Exhibition – SALA Festival, Keith Murdoch House, Adelaide, South Australia
2017
[Sic.] Rose – Praxis Art Space FRAN Festival, Adelaide, South Australia
2017
Helpman Academy Exhibition – Driller Hall, Adelaide, South Australia
2017
NEST – Urban Cow Gallery, SALA & Adelaide Fringe Festival, Adelaide, South Australia
2016
Transference – The Metro Gallery, Adelaide, South Australia
2015
SHE’s Artistic – Female Festival of Arts, West End Gallery, Adelaide, South Australia
2014
Rayzist A Discovery of Glass – Liverpool Street Gallery, Adelaide, South Australia
2013
Everything Now – SALA - Three Doors Plus One, Adelaide, South Australia
2012
Nautical But Nice – Fringe Festival, Higher Ground Gallery, Adelaide, South Australia
2012
Selected Awards
Carclew Project & Professional Development Grant, Jingdezhen, China
2017
SALA Contemporary Art Prize Finalist
2017
Minter Ellison Award – Emerging Female Artist With Outstanding Creative Potential
2017
Adelaide Architecture and Design Award, University of South Australia
2016
Trudie Alfred Bequest Scholarship for Australian Ceramics
2016
Golden Key Honors Award, Semesters 1 & 2 for duration of UniSA degree
2016
Linda Lou Murphy Scholarship, University of South Australia
2014
Publications, Press & Interviews
In the Hands of Creation, Meer Magazine, Montenegro
2026
Shaping Clay With Untamed Emotion, Homo Faber Guide, Italy
2025
What We’re Loving, Fairlady Magazine, South Africa
2022
Hands On, SA Living Magazine, Australia
2017
Creative Language At Work, Adelaide Matters p22, Australia
2017
2017
Spotlight Artist #16 – Adelaide Art History Magazine, Australia
2016
Feature Artist, Journal of Australian Ceramics
2016
She’s Artistic, Amnesty International Publication
2015
Epiphanic
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Epiphanic (adjective): a sudden intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely or commonplace occurrence or experience.
Humans have an innate ability to find profound meaning in the mundane, transforming simple acts—like sharing a smile or preparing a meal—into sacred moments of connection. This shared perspective led to a collaboration with Driaan Claasen of Reticence Studio. Together, we created a hand-carved wooden triptych titled ‘Epiphanic,’ born from our mutual desire to find beauty and insight within the complexities of existence.
The sculptures are crafted from indigenous African wild teak (Pterocarpus angolensis). Known as "bloodwood" for the deep red sap that bleeds from its cuts, the timber is culturally revered for its perceived healing properties and fire resistance. Beyond its symbolic value, the wood is prized for its resonance, making it the preferred material for traditional instruments like the mbira.
The Weight of Expectation
In The Weight of Expectation Daniel Carter delves into the journey of photographers grappling with the overwhelming pressure to generate impactful content for an ever-expectant online audience. Carter's images serve as a poignant reminder to appreciate the artistic process, the vulnerability of creators, and the beauty that emerges when the inherent weight of expectations is transformed into a fuel that drives artistic expression.
Taphonomic Hearth Stones
The Taphonomic Hearth Stones series explores the study of taphonomy and its relationship with humans, fire, and soil. Taphonomy investigates how organic remains transition from the biosphere to the lithosphere through burial, decomposition, and mineralization into fossils or other stable biomaterials. This slow process, often unnoticed, serves as a metaphor for how our personal narratives transform from our psyche to the truths we embody. By delving into this concept, we become more mindful of the formation of fossils and stable biomaterials that shape our perception of self. As a ceramic artist I am fascinated by the process of malleable clay becoming a solid object and how this parallels with repeated narratives shaping our emotional landscapes.
Ritual vessels reminiscent of primitive domestic items, such as vases and pitchers, symbolize the tradition of sharing stories around a campfire signifying not only physical sustenance, but also the intangible and immaterial connections that sustain our relationship with life.
Taphonomic Hearth Stones encourages viewers to contemplate the beauty of pliable memories and the role of shared narratives in shaping our perception. The exhibition invites us to consider how the fossils and stable biomaterials of our own psyche exist as evidence of our past and remind us of the subtle forces that shape us over time.