Biography

John Kramer is a South African artist whose oil paintings capture the essence of the small town in the Western Cape, Karoo and beyond. Born in Worcester in 1946, he developed a deep appreciation for the region's unassuming houses and nostalgic corner cafes. In the early 1970s, he began photographing these structures to save them from obscurity—images that formed the foundation of his realistic paintings.

Kramer studied at the Hugo Naude Art Centre and the Michaelis School of Fine Art (UCT), where he won the Michaelis Prize. Following a stint in advertising, he joined the South African Museum in 1970, eventually becoming Head of Exhibitions. He retired from Iziko Museums in 2002 to focus entirely on his art.

For over fifty years, Kramer has exhibited at major events including the Cape Town Biennial, Cape Town Triennial, and the South African National Gallery. His work is held in private and public collections worldwide. Currently based in Gardens, Cape Town, he continues to produce highly regarded realistic paintings that document the South African platteland.