Lunéll Kruger is a multidisciplinary artist born in 1950 in rural Transkei, South Africa - a mere 175km from the birthplace of Nelson Mandela. She grew up in the Eastern Cape and now divides her time between London and Johannesburg.
Through her own style of combining digital aesthetics with cultural symbols, patterns and motifs, it can be said that Kruger transcends the traditional boundaries of African art. This synthesis creates a dynamic approach, yet, it is her storytelling which is most prominent in her mixed media printmaking. Whether she is exploring the impact of technology on society, the effect of globalisation on African female identity, or universal interconnectedness, there remains a layered dialogue at play, exploring ideas, beliefs, spirituality and the interplay between ancient and modern worlds.
After studying drama in Pretoria, Kruger lived in Zimbabwe and taught acting before embarking in 1990 on a Fine Arts career. She began by creating her own acrylic paint, Fabrix, and used this to produce a range of handpainted interior design objects. These items were in high demand locally in South Africa and featured in magazines, such as Fair Lady, Sarie and House & Leisure, as well as on the TV magazine program, Pasella, in South Africa. She exported her creations to Australia and Germany, and subsequently produced an instructional video to share her intuitive understanding of colour and composition with a wider audience. In 2009-2010 Kruger further immersed herself in the traditional heritage of African culture, and subsequently designed and published a series of seven African Design resource books, referencing indigenous art and artefacts. These went on to sell throughout South Africa and at The British Museum and African Books in London. In 2013 she created a large mural and 24 digital poster artworks for The Dictionary Hostel in Shoreditch, which lead to being commissioned by The Astor Group to create seven paintings for Astor Hyde Park Hostel, London.
During the succeeding years, harnessed with her diverse skills and experience, Kruger went on to deveop highly innovative works on paper. While still deeply rooted in her affection and affiliation with African heritage and culture, she began exploring universal themes. Then, through a process of deconstruction and reinterpretation, combining results that shift between historical and current discourse.
Since 2019, Kruger’s print works have been shown in the following exhibitions: The Lay of the Land, The Art Room, Johannesburg (2023); Masters of Silence, The Art Room, Johannesburg (2022); The Heritage Art Exhibition, Parkview, Johannesburg (2022); Art & About, First Rand Gallery, Johannesburg (2022); Art Miabo, The International Art Festival, Lagos, Nigeria (2022); Collective Art Exhibition, Jan Celliers, Johannesburg (2021); The Power of One, The Art Room Johannesburg (2021); Flow Motion, Fine Arts Print Exhibition, Johannesburg (2019); Slow Art, The Art Room, Johannesburg (2019).