Andre Van Vuuren was born in Benoni near Johannesburg on the 15th September 1945. After matriculating, he studied graphic design at the Johannesburg School of Art 1965-1967, he then joined the Visual Arts Research Centre, a European- style teaching studio run by George Boys, one of South Africa’s leading Abstract expressionists at the time. In 1969 he exhibited on the New Signatures exhibition, which was held annually in Pretoria to showcase emerging talent.
Early works were abstract expressionist, exploring line and form, in mainly earthy tones. His first exhibition was held in 1970 in Johannesburg. In 1973 a work was accepted by the Royal West of England Academy in Bristol.
Between 1970 and 1980 held several solo exhibitions as well as participating in Group shows at leading galleries such as Goodman Gallery, and Lidchi Gallery in Johannesburg, and Neil Sack Gallery Durban.
From 1980 to 1998 his work was handled by the Crake Gallery in Johannesburg as well as showing in group exhibitions at Everard Read Gallery in Johannesburg.
In 1985 van Vuuren spent some time in West Germany, and his work became much bolder and more colourful inspired by the work of German expressionism. In 1985 he showed paintings at Galerie Maeder in Munich.
For a period in the early ‘90’s he had a studio in the centre of Johannesburg city where the street hawkers and mass action marches inspired an energetic style –
“stick men doing frenzied dances”. The work celebrated South Africa’s emergence from its authoritarian past into a democracy. These were exhibited at the Linder Auditorium in Johannesburg and then sent to Europe.They were shown 1994 at Genevieve Hasaerts in Brussels and 1996 at Christophe Meissenbacher in Trier, Germany.
In 1998 he started to hold exhibitions at his studio, Knysna Fine Art in Knysna. The same year he held a Solo exhibition at the Galerie Claude Andre in Brussels.
He is currently represented by Graham’s Modern and Contemporary Gallery in Johannesburg and RK Contemporary in Riebeek Kasteel, Western Cape.
In 1999 he visited Zanzibar and East Africa, His paintings after this mark a change in direction, exploring the East African landscape and the light and shade of Stone Town in Zanzibar.
A trip to Italy followed in 2000, where Venice and Tuscany became favorite subjects.
In 2017, he and his wife Valerie undertook a road trip through India, exploring Rajasthan, Agra and Mumbai.
He still however, has excursions into his abstract past.
He has work in many Corporate and Public collections in SA and abroad, such as the National Gallery Bloemfontein, Pretoria Art Museum, S A Reserve Bank, FNB, Swiss Life Belgium, and Bottner Reprotechnik Munich.