Curated by Marijke van Velden & Pule Dlothi

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The term ceramics might evoke for many an association with utilitarian and domestic items such as plates, vases and bowls. In recent years, however, ceramics have increasingly gained recognition as a contender in contemporary art. Indeed, clay, being highly malleable, can be shaped into the forms a potter imagines. This exhibition seeks to display such items of artistic consideration. Being the familiar material that ceramics are, which trace cultural expression around the world, this exhibition further seeks to represent a multiplicity of South African identities. Displayed in these ceramic works are elements of the traditional, socio-political, sombre, satirical, and playful.

Curatorial Statement

(Un)Earthed - Exploring contemporary ceramic art in South Africa

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Of all forms of visual art, ceramics are perhaps some of the most ubiquitous. Stretching over millennia and geographic expanses, clay has been exhumed and shaped into culture since the dawn of mankind. Whether it be for artistic and decorative expression, as functional objects, or as artefacts of spiritual practice, ceramic pieces signify identities. These objects, as such, become a nexus between the earth and being human; as much as man has shaped clay, ceramics have shaped the human race. Yet, whilst durable enough to carry buried messages across empires, the substance of fired clay is at once fragile. Handling, transportation, and indeed preservation of ceramic objects require intentional care. The interpretation of ceramic artefacts excavated from the past is often read in ‘cracked code’; many vessels dating from eras past exist only in part, due to their brittle composition. An analogy, perhaps, for history itself? This exhibition seeks to draw out clues about the representation of our collective South African identities, past and present - whether it be through the domestic, the sacred, or symbols of social allegiance.

Okuvunjululweyo - Uphicotho lobugcisa bezinto zodongwe olutshisiweyo bale mihla eMzantsi Afrika

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Kuzo zonke iindidi zobugcisa bokubonwayo ezikhoyo, ubugcisa bezinto zodongwe olutshisiweyo mhlawumbi ziyinxalenye yezona zixhaphake kakhulu. Ukususela kwiminyaka kwisithuba esingaphaya kwamawaka ngamawaka eminyaka nokunaba ngokobume beendawo, udongwe luye lugrunjwe luze lubunjwe ngokwenkcubeko nentlalo leyo ukususela ekudalweni komntu. Nokuba oko kwenzelwa ezobugcisa okanye ukuhombisa, njengezinto ezisetyenziswayo zenkqubo zakwamoya, imisebenzi eyenziwe ngodongwe olutshisiweyo ingumqondiso wokuba ungubani. Eziz into, ngaloo ndlela, ziba luqhagamshelwano phakathi komhlaba nokuba sisidalwa esingumntu; kangangokuba umntu eye walubumba udongwe, izinto zodongwe olutshisiweyo iye yazizo ezimqingqayo umntu. Kwakhona, lo gama zomelele ngokwaneleyo ukuba zithwale imiyalezo ezizinto zodongwe olutshisiweyo ezingcwatyiweyo ukususela kwizikumkani eziquka nezinye izikumkani, ukuxabiseka kodongwe olutshisiweyo kuyinto kwakhona enobu-ethe-ethe. Ukuphathwa, ukuthuthwa, nangenyaniso ukulondolozwa kwezinto ezenziwe ngodongwe olutshisiweyo kufuna unakekelo olunenjongo. Ukutolikwa kwezinto zodongwe olutshisiweyo ezombiwe zisuka kwixesha elidlulileyo kudla ngokuthathwa ‘njengokusombulula iqhina okanye ukutyhilwa kombhalo ontsonkothileyo’; iingqayi ezininzi ezisusela kwimihla egqithileyo zikho kuphela ngokuyinxenye, ngenxa yokwakhiwa kwazo oku-ethe-ethe. Ingaba sinawo, mhlawumbi umfuziselo woku, obhekisele kwezembali ubuqu? Lomboniso ufuna ukuzisa ukunakanwa okumalunga nokumelwa ngokudibeneyo kwabemi baseMzantsi Afrika ngokobubona, kwixesha eligqithileyo nelangoku – nokuba oko kwenzeka ngokusetyenziswa kwemiqondiso yangaphakathi elizweni, enyulu, okanye ngemiqondiso yentobelwano ngokwezentlalo.

(Uit)Geaard - Die verkenning van kontemporêre keramiekkuns in Suid-Afrika

Van al die velde in visuele kuns, is keramiek dalk een van die mees algemene. Klei is sedert die geboorte van die mensdom uit die aarde ontgin en in kultuur omvorm; dit strek oor millennia en wye geografie. Hetsy as kunssinnige en dekoratiewe uitdrukking, as funksionele objekte, of as artefakte in spirituele praktyk, keramiekwerke gee uitdrukking aan identiteite. Op hierdie wyse word sulke voorwerpe ‘n skakelpunt tussen die aarde en die mensdom. Tog, terwyl dit duursaam genoeg is om boodskappe uit eertydse ryke te behou, is gevuurde klei gelyktydig broos. Die hantering van keramiekwerke, asook die vervoer en behoud daarvan vereis toegewyde sorg. Die interpretasies wat ontgin word van keramiek artefakte uit die verlede word dikwels deur gekraakte kodes ontsyfer. Baie keramiek voorwerpe wat uit die verlede dateer, bestaan slegs in dele weens hul breekbare aard. ‘n Analogie, dalk, vir geskiedenis self? Hierdie uitstalling poog daarin om leidrade oor die uitbeelding van ons kollektiewe Suid-Afrikaanse identiteite (uit die hede en die verlede) te ontgin, hetsy deur die huishoudelike, die gewyde, of deur simbole van sosiale trou.