About Clay Formes by Olivia Barrell

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]”, attempts to pioneer new vocabulary for a previously misunderstood and muddied genre – defying existing, often problematic, terminology around this medium, such as “ceramic art”. These defining terms narrow the scope of what might be found within the artistic expression through clay – for should we limit this artistic expression purely to the medium when fired? Clay Formes pushes the bounds of what has previously been defined as “clay” and aims to evoke contemplation on what is deemed an “earthy material” and what is not.