CAPE TOWN — Ceramic artist Hennie Meyer and architect Janine de Waal worked together in 2014 to launch Ukusela Ekapa, a public art project in Cape Town, South Africa.
“It falls within the theme of connections that unite,” Meyer said in his description of the project.
The artists made 10,000 soft clay vessels, called ikomityi. These were carefully boxed up and taken to the streets in Cape Town. Residents there were encouraged to take one of these unfired cups and give it a squeeze, leaving an impression of a handprint on the cup. They got another taste of ceramic artistry by signing their name to the bottom of the vessel. Each participant received a keychain showing that they contributed to the project.
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These vessels were fired, given a band of yellow glaze across the top, and taken to Robben Island, site of the notorious prison that held Nelson Mandela. The cups were arranged in the prison yard, where they made the number 4-6-6-6-4. Mandela’s prison ID was #466 and he was jailed there in 1964.
Video from Navigator Films
The cups remained until November 17, 2014. After that the cups were returned to the participants, but the participants did not receive their own vessel. The vessels were instead randomized, meaning that everyone who helped out received a symbolic handshake from a stranger. The political and humanitarian messages are plain and we like the way this art can, even if it’s just a symbolic gesture, help fight against feelings of alienation in society. Someone, somewhere in the urban landscape, shared an experience with you.
Do you love or loathe this public experiment in contemporary ceramic art? Let us know in the comments.
Click to see a larger image.
Click to see a larger image.
Click to see a larger image.
Aloha from Hawaii! My husband and I were fortunate enough to squeeze a clay vessel , and then visit the Robben Island installation with Hennie and then got to choose our ikomityi at Cape Castle on Nov 24. I found a vessel done by someone with my same first name, and my husband found the exact one done by a friend who was with us.
This project was so unique and well designed and supported and touched so many people. I still marvel at its conception, execution and outcome. Here in the Pacific, 11,000 miles away from Marvelous Capetown, I fit my fingers around my ikomityi and am connected with so many others halfway around the world. Thank you for publishing this project.
This is a different way to connect. I would like to use a similar experiment where I live in West Virginia, USA. People are very divided politically here. It would be a challenge, but it might bring about conversations with people with different and opposing ideas.