Born on the Cape Flats in 1960, Scott lost his family home at age 12 and in 1976 succeeded in an application to attend the School for Art Ballet and Music in Pretoria.
In 2011, he graduated with a BA degree in theory of literature and English at University of South Africa, followed by postgraduate studies in narratology, drama theory, and critical theory.
Johannes Scott’s recent ceramic practice engages Jacques Lacan’s psychoanalytic theory of aesthetics.
Framing the ceramic vase as the ultimate sublime object, Scott explores the relationship of beauty it has with contemporary viewers.
Previous engagements with theory in practice are Hundreds of Cold Cubs (ceramic), Au79 (painting) and Black Atlantic (ceramic).
Hundreds of Cold Cubs is an installation of altered, slipcast cups representing hollow trophies. The project explores theory of ecocriticism in practice in context to lion trophy hunters. The work was selected as finalist for the 2010 Spier Contemporary Awards.
Au79 is a polyptych of paintings exhibited by invitation at the KKNK art festival in Oudtshoorn. The project explores the Anglo-Boer War in context to Marxism. The project foregrounds the material significance of gold and its means of production against essentialist Boer identity.
Black Atlantic – Fabula Saltare is a body of ceramic vases exploring Black Atlantic culture in context to postcolonialism. The project foregrounds cultural production by slave descendants on the Atlantic Ocean rim. The work is on permanent display at Spier in Stellenbosch.
Scott is an award-winning artist with work in public collections; he directs his studio for recreational ceramic art classes in Bo-Kaap, Cape Town, which he founded in 1991 together with his life partner Karen Scott.