Art Formes Journal
May 2026
ceramic masters from the African continent: Investec Cape Town Art Fair 2026
“Art Formes uncovers the archive around the largely undocumented history of ceramic masters in South Africa; artists who have dedicated their lives to mastering the ceramic arts. An artistic tradition that has existed and excelled for centuries in South Africa, but has been almost entirely unrecorded”
Olivia Barrell
Art Formes was proud to return to the Investec Cape Town Art Fair for our third iteration, presenting Ceramic Masters from the African Continent — a diverse collection of contemporary ceramic sculpture from pioneering artists working with clay. Across generations and geographies, these works demonstrated the depth,
inventiveness, and expressive power of contemporary African ceramics. This extraordinary presentation included works by Nicholas Sithole, Martine Jackson, Sbonelo Luthuli, Hennie Meyer, Ludwe Mgolombane, Clive Sithole, Jabulile Nala, Siyabonga Fani and Okitosongo Junior.
South Africa’s history is ripe with the unrecorded narratives of great ceramic artists, and the oversimplified account of indigenous ceramic legacies. In line with the theme of ICTAF 2026, Listen, Art Formes invited viewers to take the time to explore and better understand these ceramic artworks in their deep complexities — acting as historical and personal artefacts. The ceramic arts are a highly perfected art form in South Africa; combining conceptual significance and innovation with artistic mastery.
South Africa is home to some of the leading ceramic artists in the world – many of them unrecognised and unrecorded. This is, in part, because an understanding of ceramic technique and history is required to understand what these artists are doing and why it is significant. Through our exhibitions and published literature, Art Formes aims to bring understanding of this complex medium and its history to general audiences — so that, in time, recognition will come to our ceramic masters. The works can be appreciated for their beauty alone, but they hold a different beauty and meaning when they can be fully comprehended in their technical innovation and historical relevance.
Art Formes at ICTAF 2026, photographed by Barry White.
“Art Formes believes in considered, slow curation and in the importance of historical contextualisation within an increasingly fast-paced, white-cube art world. We believe that narrative is essential — and that the role of a gallery should be to showcase the complexity and context of an artistic practice. We feel privileged to work with artists who insert into the art historical narrative of South Africa.”