The Inaugural SA Clay Awards Exhibition, in recognition of ceramic excellence in South Africa, opens at Rust-en-Vrede Gallery + Clay Museum on Saturday 2 November.
Chuma Maweni – iNdoni – Courtesy of Southern Guild
This was prompted by the Rust-en-Vrede Gallery + Clay Museum being accepted as an affiliate member of the International Academy of Ceramics (IAC). As an organisation affiliated to Unesco and devoted to ceramic excellence, the IAC nod was seen as a fittingly momentous opportunity to propose a new biennale award and exhibition, in recognition of the wealth of skill and talent in the South African ceramics landscape.
Alternating annually with the Portrait Award the inaugural SA Clay Awards celebrates mastery and creativity in the field. A novel structure meant that anyone could enter and sees the top 50 pieces acknowledged rather than a singular winner. Uniquely, the sponsored awards money will also be shared equally between the creators of the final selection.
This speaks to the versatility of the medium. With so many ways to interpret, work with and express a concept through clay, choosing one winner would have been next to impossible. “We were really pleased with the range of work entered. A collection of pieces like this shows you the wonder of clay, and what clay can do,” says Hennie Meyer, curator of the show and a prolific ceramic artist in his own right.
The vision was for an exhibition that would showcase ceramic excellence and capture the essence of the current scene in South Africa. “The concept for this exhibition has long intrigued me – it aims to present a diverse, unbiased collection of clay works that go beyond the singular perspective of any curator or gallery. An embodiment of excellence, richness, expression, concept, and craftsmanship,” he adds.
Digging Deep: Inside the Clay Awards Judging Process
Karlien van Rooyen – Diatom Bokeh
And certainly, the judging process played a big role in showcasing this depth. A group of 10 respected international and local panelists – experts in their fields, ranging from renowned ceramic artists to revered academics – ensured that a wide range of viewpoints were part of the assessment of the works. Selectors included Magdalene Odundo (UK/Kenya), Andile Dyalvane (South Africa); Ronnie Watt (Canada/South Africa); Andre Hess (UK/South Africa); Digby Hoets (South Africa); Olivia Barrell (South Africa); Janet de Boos (Australia); Guangzhen Zhou (USA/China); Stanis Mbwanga (Congo) and Elizabeth Perril (USA).
- Each panelist chose their top 50 pieces, with the 50 most voted pieces (by 45 artists) overall forming the final selection. The judging was conducted anonymously, allowing selectors to choose works without any contact or deliberation among one another.
This ensured not only a fair judging process but a great variety of work in the final selection. What was also interesting for Hennie and his team as the results came back was that out of 518 entries, 260 received votes. “This shows us that not only was the work extremely diverse but also of an incredibly high standard,” he notes. [See full list of artists below]
Diversity is clearly apparent too, in the incredible variety of the entrants themselves. They range from established names and stalwarts of the ceramics industry to brand-new talents entering the medium. Wonderful variety and rich stories emerge – from the oldest entrant, Felicity Potter who was born in 1935 who entered a piece with her partner David Schlapobersky, to well-known brothers Madoda and Siyabonga Fani both with pieces in the lineup, and many more besides.
Andrew Mogridge – Graceland
Pieces vary greatly in style and execution too – expressive figurative sculptural works stand alongside delicate functional vessels and contemporary graphic designs sit next to the ultra-minimal. It’s a truly multifaceted curation that speaks volumes about the medium itself, and the wide spectrum of creativity locally. Curated by Meyer, the works will be displayed in such a way as to highlight exactly this diversity and versatility.
Meyer refers to the words of Ashraf Jamal in his essay An Intimate Materialism published in Clay Formes (2023) to summarise the richness of the medium: “As Caitlin MacDonald reminds us, ‘We have constructed shelters, vessels for food and water, made idols, art objects, vases, currencies, talismans, funerary urns, inscribed laws and myths upon clay surfaces.’ We are wrought from mud. Clay precedes humankind; it will exist long after we are gone.”
To Meyer, “this profound sentiment reflects the enduring relationship between humanity and this fundamental material”. SA Clay Awards invites you to explore the stories and emotions conveyed through each piece in this exhibition – a collective homage to the rich heritage and future of ceramic artistry in South Africa.
Get out to see the wealth of skill and talent in the South African ceramics landscape at Rust en Vrede Gallery + Clay Museum!
.
WHAT: SA Clay Awards
WHERE: Rust en Vrede Gallery + Clay Museum, 10 Wellington Road, Durbanville
WHEN: Opening 2 November, closes 7 November 2024 | Monday – Friday, 10h00-16h00 and on Saturdays, 9h00-13h00
INFO: | visit | Follow @rust_en_vredegallery on social media. LEAD PHOTO: Amanda Rybicka – Fritzy Goes to Therapy – Photo by Amadea Yacumakis
Rust en Vrede Gallery + Clay Museum [35]
The WHAT, WHY & WHERE of the
arts scene in around Cape Town
see the 2023 art craft + museums map
and listen in to the
Arts Round Up Fridays @16.10
on Fine Music Radio FMR 101.3fm
The FMR App makes it even easier to tune into the Arts Round Up on Fridays! i-Phone HERE | Android HERE
Another reason Cape Town is placed 3rd in Time Out’s World’s Best Cities for Culture!
List of awardees:
Barker, Melissa
Bernstein, Bianca
Botha, Deirdre
Brett, Justin
Claassens, Lissa
Cronjé, Ella
Cruise, Wilma
Dahl, Astrid
Fani, Madoda
Fani, Siyabonga
Glenday, Katherine
Godwin, Sandy
Gregor, Mariëtte
Haines, Charmaine
Heesom-Green, Dianne
Hoets, Lesley-Ann
Hön, Eugene
Jarvis, Jane
Kotzé, Karin
Lambert, Dale
Louridas, Gari
Luthuli, Sbonelo
Jonker, Niël
Maweni, Chuma
May, Meriel
Mogridge, Andrew
Nthunya, Sesing Frank
Price, Gregg
Rybicka, Amanda – SEE LEAD PHOTO above
Schlapobersky, David and Felicity
Scott, Johannes
Sherlock, Adéle
Shirley, John
Sithole, Nicholas
Spencer, Nada
Swart, Johan
Van der Merwe, Uys
Van der Walt, Clementina
Van Rooyen, Karlien
Von Bismarck, Wiebke
Walford, Andrew
Walsh, Nick
Walter, Guy
Wentzel, René
Wilkinson, Geena
.
