North Gallery

Alex Shabalala

20 January to 11 February 2023

Without fail the Pretoria Arts Association still comes up with regular exhibitions.  After a successful 2022, we kicked off on 21 January 2023 with two exhibitions running concurrently until 11 February 2023.
 
Nataniel (performer, singer, author, chef) needs no introduction and his travel/cooking series on KykNet are immensely popular.  The last series was inspired by the 17th century tales of Perrault. At Nataniel’s request the Association of Arts Pretoria identified eight artists to create their own works inspired by eight different tales.  The participating artists are Ansa Clacey, Debbie Cloete, Diek Grobler, Adele Potgieter, Loerita Saayman, Mia van Wyk, Adele van Zyl & Jahni Wasserfall.  Nataniel’s designer, Floris Louw, will also have two works on this exhibition. 
 
At the same time, in the main gallery, the sought-after ceramic works of Alex Shabalala will be displayed.  Alex Shabalala says he has always been interested in working with his hands.  As a child, he made toys out of waste materials that he collected.  Early in his career Alex worked on linocuts and canvases.  “Now I work in earthenware and terracotta clay and use underglaze paint, which is water based and glazed with a transparent glaze before being fired in a kiln at between 1000 to 1200 degrees centigrade.”  Underglaze is completely durable and it also allows the production of pottery with a surface that has a uniform sheen.  “My work is inspired by African wildlife and the Heritage of Africa.”