British celebrity ceramicist Kate Malone
November is Ceramics Month in Cape Town. An entire month of events and activities that are a celebration of ceramics and which offer something for everyone.
The Corobrik National Ceramics Biennale runs from 11 November until 4 December. Organised by Ceramics SA Western Cape, the biennale offers a jam packed feast of ceramics at the Rust-en-Vrede Gallery and Clay Museum in Durbanville. Amongst the many attractions there is a carefully curated exhibition of ceramic art at the gallery – with all of the pieces available for purchase by the public.
Ceramic artists from across South Africa enter their work for possible selection into the Corobrik National Ceramics Biennial Exhibition. The selected pieces will then be judged by an award judge and an overall winner selected.
A coup for the 2018 Ceramic Month sees British celebrity ceramicist Kate Malone as the award judge this year. Kate is a renowned ceramic artist who was an expert judge in the BBC series “The Great Pottery Throw Down” – akin to the Great British Bake Off, but with contestants pitting their pottery skills, rather than their baking, against each other.
Ineke Nicole
Kate will also be presenting a series of full-day ceramic workshops to the public while she is in South Africa, with the first one being at the Durbanville High School on Saturday 3 November, followed by Port Elizabeth on 14 November, Durban on 17 November and Johannesburg on 24 November.
During her 30 year career, in addition to her studio ceramics, Kate has produced over 20 large scale public commissions that include a 1000 square meter ceramic building façade at 24 Saville Row in Mayfair, London.
She also created “The Wall of A Thousand Stories”, an interactive story telling device for the Royal Jubilee Children’s Library in Brighton UK, and “Bud”, the reception area sculpture for John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore USA. Kate’s ceramics can be found in more than 40 museums worldwide and in the UK her work is studied on the National Curriculum at both GCSE and A level.
Kate will also be the celebrity judge for a carefully curated exhibition of ceramic art at the Rust-en-Vrede art gallery. Ceramic artists from across South Africa have entered their work for possible selection into the Corobrik National Ceramics Biennial Exhibition. The selected pieces will then be judged by Kate and an overall winner selected.
“I am thrilled and honoured to be invited to judge this event. I have never been to South Africa before and have heard it is the most wonderful place. I am looking forward to meeting the potters and seeing the works that they will present,” says Malone.
Also part of Cape Town’s Ceramics Month is the well-known and much loved Rondebosch Potters Market. This is the largest potters market in the Southern hemisphere, with over 100 traders selling a huge selection of ceramics and it takes place at Rondebosch Park, located at the corner of Sandown and Campground Roads, Rondebosch, on Saturday 17 November.
Alessandro Pappada
The Potters Market is a wonderful place to stock up on gifts just before Christmas. The market takes place under avenues of oak trees and includes food stalls and children’s activities – making it a wonderful family friendly outing.
Running concurrently at the Rust-en-Vrede Gallery and Clay Museum from 11 November to 4 December is a fun Curious Creatures ceramic sculpture garden, as well as a brick art installation which will be erected by the acclaimed land artist and sculptor Strijdom van der Merwe.
Strijdom is a South African artist who uses materials he finds on site to create his artworks. His materials include sand, water, wood, rocks, stone and – in this instance – bricks.
Saturday 01 December sees Rust-en-Vrede playing host to the Spot Market – the only dedicated potters market in Durbanville. This is a curated pottery market with 30 carefully selected potters selling their ceramics.
In addition to this there will be live music, food trucks, and “clay play” for the kids. This is truly a fun day out for the entire family. The night before the Spot Market, Friday 30 November, sees a very exciting Raku firing demonstration taking place at Rust-en-Vrede.
For more information on the Ceramics Month line-up contact Shirley on 021 9193310 or email info@ceramics-sa-cape.co.za or visit www.ceramics-sa-cape.co.za.