IN PICS | Andile Dyalvane honours his ancestors by bringing his famed ceramics home
The acclaimed ceramicist's latest works are due to be exhibited in New York, but first they made their debut in a tiny Eastern Cape village
06 December 2020 - 00:02
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Andile Dyalvane, who is considered one of Africa's foremost ceramicists, at home in Ngobozana in the Eastern Cape.
Bringing his work home to show to his community was a long-held dream of Dyalvane's. He has exhibited, taught and earned residencies all around the world and has work in the collections of museums including the Vitra Design Museum in Germany and the Yingge Ceramic Museum in Taiwan.
An aerial view of the kraal at Dyalvane's family homestead, the focal point of the weekend activities during which family members and honoured guests sat upon the sculptural ceramic chairs he's created for his latest exhibition. In recognition of their ceremonial origins, the sculptures will be arranged in a circle when they are shown at Southern Guild gallery in Cape Town.
The form of each chair is based on a symbol representing important concepts in Xhosa life. 'Izilo (Totem Animals)' recalls the Xhosa practice of associating clans with particular animals and the symbolism that they carry. The association - often invoked in ceremonies that are specific to each clan — creates a greater sense of belonging.
Hand-coiled from terracotta clay, the chairs sit close to the ground, which 'is revered as an ancient portal for ancestral communion', according to Dyalvane. 'uMama (Mother)' can seat two people, an acknowledgement of the inclusive and embracing role mothers play in the family.
Dyalvane and his family en route to the hilltop opposite Ngobozana, the site of an old village that was forcibly removed under apartheid laws in 1965. They carry one of his sculptures called 'uMalusi (Shepherd)', which will be installed on a plinth overlooking ancestral burial grounds.
Andile Dyalvane and his wife, Nkuthazo Alexis Dyalvane.
Dyalvane and his family prepare to install 'uMalusi (Shepherd)' on the hilltop opposite Ngobozana where it will serve as a monument offering healing to those who have been dispossessed.
Dyalvane presented the people of Ngobozana with 100 terracotta beer pots to use for drinking umqombothi. The gesture recalls an earlier gift about 10 years ago, when he returned home bearing a unique clay vessel for his father, to replace the plastic or metal buckets that had become common. The moment was a profound awakening for Dyalvane, setting in motion a renewed interest in traditional Xhosa culture among his community.
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