Ceramic artist iHubo leNgabadi “song of the soil” does not only create ceramics.
“I create melodies and poetry with clay,” he says, explaining that each of his works was created under different influences.
Still, it is always inspired by his culture and tradition.
Several works of this ceramist from KwaZulu-Natal are currently on exhibition in the William Humphreys Art Gallery in Kimberley, under the title Ligeze NgeNcokazi.
“I believe that a tradition should be a stepping stone, not a stumbling block. We should use tradition as a compass to guide us into new creative endeavours,” he says.
His creativity is sparked by nearly anything, and each work heals, endows and interacts with his mental, physical and emotional state of well-being. One work, for example, was created in memory of an ex-girlfriend. He formed the pot to be tilted and unstable, portraying his emotional state at the time. It was completed as a process of mourning.
This work, as with the rest of it, shows his love for fine detail, and his creative ability to use different types of clay, colours and finishing touches.
He is no conformist, and follows his own path – that also goes for the typical process when creating ceramics. To be able to do this, he clearly understands clay and what happens when firing it.
“You cannot control the exact outcome. You do not know what to expect when you fire it. There is anticipation,” he says.
His work will be on exhibition until 23 January.
