Sex & Drugs & Boerewors Rolls

Sex & Drugs & Rock ʼn Roll is a song written by Ian Dury and composed by Chas Jenkel, released on 26 August 1977, initially as the B-side of the single ʻRazzle In My Pocketʼ, due to itʼs then controversial title. Banned from being played on the radio by the BBC, (and heavens forbid, the verkrampte SABC) the song was never really a chart topper, but became an anthem of the Punk Rock Era.

The title is a modern day interpretation of the term ʻWine, Woman and Songʼ, and the lyrics is often misinterpreted as that of excess, whereas the song actually is rebelling against the mediocre 9 to 5 existence of the masses.

“Hereʼs a little bit of advice, youʼre quite welcome, itʼs free,
Donʼt do nothing that is cut-price, youʼll know what theyʼll make you be:
They will try their tricky device, trap you with the ordinary,
Get your teeth into a small slice, the cake of liberty”

With my bowl, which would initially be viewed as quirky, I would also like to challenge the mediocrity of suburbia in South Africa. The blue and white decoration, reminiscent of Delftware, which is actually kitsch, but rather collectable, is such a predictable element in suburban interiors.

Fitting with our modern lifestyle, sexual intercourse is redefined as a form of recreation, unlike other mammals where they purely engage in it for reproductive purposes. The use and abuse of drugs also becomes a daily routine, ranging anywhere from basic vitamin supplements, birth control, tranquilisers and sleeping tablets to more hardcore substances. Fast food, of which Boerewors Rolls are South Africaʼs contribution, become very predictable, you know exactly what you will be getting, it takes thinking out of food consumption and preparation, thus reflecting on our mediocre predictable lifestyle

Xmas Gift Fair

Pictured above is me setting up my table at the annual Out of the Box Xmas Gift fair. Please join us on 12, 13 and 14 November at 305 Long st, Ferndale, Randburg. From the N1 motorway, take the Malibongwe offramp, turn left at McDonalds, then right after the Ford garage into Long street, no 305 is on the left hand side. 

You will find a great selection of South African Arts and Crafts, it is the ideal opportunity to buy unique Xmas gifts and thereby help underprivileged people. All proceeds in aid of the Out of the Box Skills Development centre.

'Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime' - Chinese Proverb.

Enquiries - Nina 083 583 5383

Still blowing my own trumpet

I have just finished assembling and painting the next batch of Vuvuzela vases and switched on the kiln for the first bisque firing. These will be glazed and fired during the week and then despatch them to various galleries for the Christmas season. After that is a new classicaly shaped vase and large wok shaped bowls. All are the same yet each one is different.

101 Uses for a Dead Vuvuzela

One of my favorite books as a young man was Simon Bondʼs ʻ101 uses for a Dead Catʼ. First published in 1981, it sold over 2 million copies in 20 countries. The collection of macabre cartoons give suggestions to a question that plagued humans for centuries: ʻWhat do you do with a dead cat?ʼ It depicted bodies of cats being used for various purposes, like doormats or pencil sharpeners.

With the advent of the 2010 Soccer World Cup, South Africaʼs contribution to the headlines was an annoying plastic trumpet, the Vuvuzela, that could wake the dead. Most people, like myself, immediately thought of a way to recycle the plaguing little souvenir by threatening to bury it in a very undesirable place. The only question was should it go in thin side first, thick side first, or sideways.

Forgotten by most by now, the Vuvuzela has found found its final resting place in bargain bins in souvenir shops, covered in dust between other memorabilia, or for the more eco-conscious citizens, dutifully deposited in a recycling bin.

A strange quirk of mine to try find the good in anything bad, my Vuvuzela ended up in my studio. The pleasing curve of the design translates well into elegantly shaped necks for classical vases. Textured slabs of clay are pressed into basic shaped casting moulds, trimmings of clay are pressed into classically inspired sprigmoulds which are used for feet and extra embellishments. The Vuvuzela is then covered with dampened strips of newsprint (as the wet clay would adhere to plastic) and torn strips of clay is then formed around it. Once the piece reached the desired hardness, the Vuvuzela is removed, pieces are assembled into an elegant vase. The final piece is then treated by decorating it in the same manner as my current body of work. As themes change, so will the decoration, evolving the look continuously.

The classically inspired end piece will be enjoyed by the new owner with a totally new emotion, not even remotely associated with that annoying piece of history

Rare Wedgwood sold on Auction

A rare Wedgwood vase in the 'Fairyland' design recently sold on auction in Johannesburg for the huge sum of ZAR 90 000. The vase is vary rare, and is highly sought after by collectors all over the world. Standing 59cm tall, it features dragons and fairies on a blue lustred background.

Manufactured by the Wedgwood factory from 1915 to 1929 after original designs by Daisy Makeig-Jones (1881-1945). Makeig-Jones’ novel designs were far more than ‘pretty patterns’. She prided herself on creating stories and hidden worlds with fantastical themes, using rich jewel-like colours and imaginative details. Her work appealed to the public possibly as they offered a form of escapism during the difficult post-war years.

Wedgwood stopped the ‘Fairyland’ lustre ware line in 1929 due to an apparent lack of interest. Today the enthusiasm for Makeig-Jones’ work is as strong as it ever was, possibly even more so than when the designs were first introduced in the 1920s. Interest in the artist’s work has been further enhanced by various Art Deco exhibitions featuring examples of her work including one at the Victoria and Albert Museum in September 1990.
 

Recent Ceramic Exhibitions

I decided to attend a few ceramic exhibitions recently with a group of friends. Most of these were held in Pretoria, are they becoming more culturally aware than Johannesburg?

The first exhibition was by young artist Corne Joubert, held at the association of Arts. Corneʼs whimsical miniature tiles were meticulously arranged in box frames, each group to tell its own story. I was pleasantly surprised by the different textures and techniques used. This is definitely an artist worth watching.

 The next exhibition was the complete Corobrik collection. In conjunction Ceramics Southern Africa, this is a public collection that represents the history of ceramics in South Africa. It was great to view pieces in real life that was only seen on photographs before. Disappointing was the way some pieces were displayed in glass cabinets, competing for attention with the draped fabric that surrounded it. I was also shocked be the badly repaired kiln crack on a Hilton Nel piece (was that done by the artist or by someone else?) Overall an interesting exhibit and definitely worth the visit.

Johannesburg saw the group exhibition by Kendal Warren, Tania Babb, Wendy McLachlan, Loren Kaplan and Carol Hayward Fell, held at Objekt. Visiting this store is always pleasant as there is so much creativity to see. Unfortunately I only received notification of the exhibition after it opened, I am not sure if some pieces were already sold and went with the buyer, but were rather disappointed in the amount of work by some artists, Kendal Warren were the only one that was well represented, and it was good to see some of her vessels, as it is always her wall pieces that is normally on show.

Back in Pretoria again is the work of master potter Andrew Walford. I am not a great fan of the Anglo Oriental school, although I originally trained in it, but I can appreciate the work and am totally amazed by the skill employed by the old masters, which is sadly lost in the younger generation. Just as impressive is the owner designed house of Ora Joubert, where the exhibition was held. With being a great admirer of architecture, this was a very inspiring visit.

Industrial Evolution

I started using metal pins to aid in constructing my work. Working with a very poor clay it helped in keeping joins together while I wait for the pieces to stiffen. This brought me to the idea of using the metal in a decorative way. First screws were cut shorter and thesewere used where pieces of clay were joined together. After firing the metal reacted to the heat enough to give an effect of the piece being excavated after many years, which ties in with the overall look of my current work. Although the metal transformed, it was keeping it's shape and is still strong enough not to disintegrate over time.

The idea led to further exploration, and borrowing from Michael Gravesʼ design for Alessi, the screws were used in a grid on the rim of platters similar to raised studs on the trays. Liking the idea of the metal in combination with clay, I set off to the closest haberdashery shop where I found a whole new world of eyelets, studs and zips that will be incorporated in the work, much to the confusion of shop assistants that could not understand why I am concerned about a specific colour to match my handiwork.

My training many years ago in the Jewellery Industry came to good use, even then I was more interested in the tarnishing of metals rather than a highly polished surface. This idea will take me further to exploit the use of metal with ceramics, picking up all weird and wonderful pieces wherever I go, hopefully to find its way into some masterpiece along the way.