Rural potters in the Eastern Cape, South Africa: what next?

Abstract

Fired clay vessels created by rural potters in remote areas of the former Transkei, Eastern Cape in South Africa, hardly feature at all in thinking, collecting, and writing about ceramics praxis in this province. Yet, such vessels and potters bear further attention, as does the wide variety of technical know-how utilized which results in works featuring extensively differing styles and techniques. This paper thus seeks to engage with a process of finding untold stories so as to address some aspects of neglected status of rural women visual artists, with particular focus on three potters who have successfully worked with clay as medium for their entire adult lives.

Verwysings na gebakte kleipotte wat landelike pottebakkers in afgeleë gebiede van die voormalige Oos-Kaap in Suid-Afrika vervaardig, ontbreek bykans geheel en al in denke, versamelings en geskrewe bronne oor die keramiekpraktyk in hierdie provinsie. Desnieteenstaande verdien sodanige potte en pottebakkers ernstige aandag. Ook behoort daar aandag geskenk te word aan die groot verskeidenheid tegniese vaardighede waarmee werke van hoogs verskillende style en tegnieke vervaardig word. Hierdie artikel het ten doel om 'n proses in te lei om onvertelde verhale op te teken ten einde die verwaarloosde status van landelike vrouens as visuele kunstenaars reg te stel. Meer spesifiek word gefokus op drie vrouens wat hulle hele volwasse lewe met welslae met klei as 'n medium gewerk het.