Clay Formes

Form, from the Latin forma, meaning shape. It means the inherent nature of an onject, that in which the essence of a thing costliest.  –ALI SMITH

This publication is the first of its kind: a survey of contemporary clay from South Africa, pushed to its highest form of sculptural expression. This volume, through its exquisite photography and literary essays, showcases multiple generations of living South African artists, each innovating the potentialities of clay and ceramics.

Clay Formes offers enthusiasts and collectors a glimpse into the studios of thirty important South African artists, born between 1941 and 1998, revealing the richness of both contemporary clay and ceramic tradition within South African art. This book is the fruit of countless conversations with each featured artist including Hylton Nel, Belinda Blignaut, Jabulile Nala, Ian Garrett, Andile Dyalvane, Katherine Glenday, Zizipho Poswa, Madoda Fani, Marlene Steyn, Hennie Meyer, Astrid Dahl, Chuma Maweni and Ruan Hoffmann amongst others.

Clay has long been freed from the yoke of functionality. That is not to say that functionality is without beauty, but this publication sought to highlight all the things that clay can be when it is not functional. The word “forme”, borrowed from the French meaning “shape, form or object of art”.