Curated by Spier Arts Trust’s Chief Curator Tamlin Blake, Wild Things brings together 54 ceramic works by 44 South African artists. The result is an immersive world of forms that feel instinctual, alive and utterly compelling.
More than objects
The title draws inspiration from Maurice Sendak’s beloved Where the Wild Things Are, and the spirit of that story – untamed, imaginative, a little mischievous – runs through every piece in the exhibition.
But these works are far more than decorative objects. They are extensions of their makers: vessels for emotion, memory, identity and meaning. As curator Tamlin Blake puts it, “Many of these works feel alive in some way. Not just vessels or sculptures, but things that seem to hold emotion, memory, even a kind of energy.”
For many of the artists, working with clay is deeply personal – a space for healing, reflection and reconnection. You can feel it in the work.
A diverse cast of makers
Each of the 44 contributing artists brings a distinct voice and vision to the medium. A few to look out for:
- Siyasanda Mabanya draws on cultural myths and folktales from the Eastern Cape to create bold, smoke-fired creature-like forms brimming with strength and playfulness.
- Joy Mwali works through a deliberate process of breaking and rebuilding clay – dismantling emotional barriers, then reconstructing them as quiet acts of renewal.
- Adéle Sherlock uses delicate, unglazed porcelain to create intricate nature-inspired sculptures moulded from plant forms, each one capturing movement frozen in time.
- Sarah Wilson takes ceramics in a surprising direction, transforming her works into pinhole cameras and photographing her own body through them – creating layered meditations on identity and perception.
Visit this winter
From 24 April to 24 August 2026, Wild Things will be a rare opportunity to experience the breadth and depth of South African ceramics in one extraordinary space.
Entry is free!