The Rust-en-Vrede Gallery + Clay Museum in Cape Town, South Africa was recently accepted as an affiliate member of the International Academy of Ceramics (IAC), an organisation affiliated to Unesco and devoted to Ceramic excellence. In response to this honour, the Clay Museum’s curators are launching a new biennale awards exhibition. The South African Clay Awards, also the Clay Awards, aim to recognise and showcase exceptional contemporary ceramics being created by South African artists. The works entered will be digitally presented to a panel of 10 national and international selectors who are chosen for their expertise in the field of ceramics.
The chosen selectors include highly acclaimed Kenyan born ceramist, Prof. Magdalene Odundo, who is Chancellor at the University for the Creative Arts in the United Kingdom. A second selector is Australian ceramist Janet DeBoos whose life’s work includes lecturing at the Australian National University School of Art & Design and being an Emeritus Fellow 2015-2018. Serving as one of the selectors hailing from South Africa is Andile Dyalvane who is a ceramic artist and designer who also serves as co-founder of Imiso Ceramics. Other selectors are Guangzhen Zhou, Stanis Mbwanga, Elizabeth Perrill among others.
These selectors will each choose 40 works from the anonymous, numbered digital images sent to them. A unique feature of the Clay Awards is that the sponsored awards money will be equally shared between the creators of the 40 selected clay pieces. Entry is free and can be made online between the 1st and 18th of August 2024. The Clay Museum curators will tally the selection and finalise the Top 40 entered works which will be sent to the Rust-en-Vrede Gallery + Clay Museum for the exhibition which will take place from the 2nd of November until the 7th of December 2024. A unique feature of the Clay Awards is that the sponsored awards money will be equally shared between the creators of the 40 selected clay pieces.
Two entries are allowed per artist. All works are to be photographed against a black or white background. All works entered must have been created by the person entering them and are to remain in their ownership for the duration of the exhibition. All works exhibited shall be up for sale. The exhibition is proudly sponsored by Reinders Kilns and Clay. More information on the details around entry are available on the website: https://rust-en-vrede.com/clayawards/
