Lisa Younger is a Johannesburg based artist who works with hand cut and layered paper, through which she explores themes around memory, trekking and temperature.  

Lisa obtained a BA in Dramatic Art (with Honours) from Wits University in 1994, where she majored in performance studies and theatre design.  Since graduating she has worn many design hats and helped to create the visual worlds for numerous live performance pieces, television programmes, and various built environments.  She has designed set, props and costumes for productions at The Windybrow Theatre, The Dance Factory, The Wits Theatre, The Joburg Civic Theatre, The National Children’s Theatre and The Market Theatre. 

Most notably she was the resident designer for The Forgotten Angle Theatre Collaborative (1997 to 2002) and the art department co-ordinator on Sewende Laan (2002 to 2004).  She has worked in varying design roles on 10 seasons of Takalani Sesame (2000 to present).  And she was the lead interior and narrative designer at Activate Architecture from 2004 to 2017.

She spent 2 years with the improvisation group Causing a Scene (founded by Tony Morkel) where she learnt how to play again, and 3 years attending open studio classes at The Fine Arts Workshop (facilitated by Taryn Millar); both of which were major catalysts towards her starting to seriously develop her body of papercut artworks in 2021.

Since 2021 she has completed 3 self-funded, six month residencies at August House and participated in group exhibitions as well as Open Studios Joburg 21, 22, 23 and The Contra Fair Joburg 2024. 

In 2021, her papercut titled ‘waiting for the rain’ was purchased by The Art Bank of South Africa.

In 2024, her papercut titled ‘ trying to place it’ was selected as one of the Top 137 Finalists in the Sasol New Signatures Competition. 

Exhibitions

2024

• Contra Fair Joburg, August House, Johannesburg, Open Studios
• Sasol New Signatures, Pretoria Art Museum, Top 137 Group Exhibition
• Infinite Perspectives, Alliance Francaise Pretoria, Group Exhibition of work by Bevan De Wet, Danelle Heenop, Mark Modimola and Lisa Younger
• Colours of Compassion, 10 Bompas, Johannesburg, Group Exhibition and Auction for The Smile Foundation

2023

• Inside Life, Johannesburg, Group Exhibition curated by Sara Hallatt
• Choice Assorted, Johannesburg, Group Exhibition as the culmination of participants in The Business of Being an Artist (BOBA) course
• Open Studios, August House, Johannesburg, Group Exhibition

2022

• Open Studios, August House, Johannesburg, Group Exhibition
• Finding Form, The Stables, Johannesburg, Group Exhibition curated by Sara Hallatt
• Broken Telephone, Johannesburg, Group Exhibition curated by Olwethu De Vos

2021

• Open Studios, August House, Johannesburg, Group Exhibition
• Yard of Art, Victoria Yards, group exhibition as part of the Rotary Club fundraising event

2019

• Starts, Johannesburg, Group Exhibition

Collections

The National Art Bank of South Africa, Bloemfontein

Private Collections in South Africa, Italy, Denmark, France and the UK.