Ubumba olungashi : a case study of South African artist Hezekiel Ntuli’s unfired ceramics

Abstract

Hezekiel Ntuli (1912-1973) was a sculptor from KwaZulu Natal, South Africa, renowned for the wide variety of busts he made out of unfired clay (Ubumba Olungashi in Zulu). Many of Ntuli's artworks were sold to the tourist industry; and are therefore mostly found in private collections today. Throughout the years, however, museums have been able to acquire some of Hezekiel Ntuli's works by way of donations or other means, such as purchasing the works. Due to the high demand for Ntuli's work he would produce several copies of a single form and by-pass the firing process. From a conservation point of view, unfired clay is not as stable as fired clay and presents challenges such as powdering, cracking, breaks, flaking, and sensitivity to moisture. The latter results in increased complexity for conservation treatment. Outside of an archaeological context, there is very little information or published research on the conservation of unfired clay. The paucity of current research and publications which discuss Hezekiel Ntuli’s unfired clay sculpture, as well as those of similar artists who created sculptures of a similar type and material, is what has prompted this research. The present research could thus potentially be applied to addressing the conservation needs of a variety of South Africa’s clay sculptors.