Estate Living Magazine Invest SA - Issue 45 September 2019 | Page 65

L I V E
S M A R T
their way into museums, galleries and the homes of avid collectors.
A great place to see a collection of Zulu arts and craft is at the Vukani
Cultural Museum in Eshowe, where several of the artists exhibiting
have received international recognition for their work.
Innovation
Taking the craft of pottery to another level is the largest pottery
studio in South Africa, Ardmore Ceramics, in the KZN Midlands. It
all started when Bonnie Ntshalintshali, a young girl who had suffered
polio as a child, started an apprenticeship with artist Fée Halsted
on their farm in Winterton. Bonnie’s natural ability in sculpture and
painting was encouraged, and soon she was creating her own
pieces that told stories of her mission school education and strong
Zulu background.
By marrying an aesthetic that is not quite African nor European, Fée
developed the style that has made Ardmore Ceramics internationally
renowned – intricately decorated items in a Western ceramic
tradition that feature local flora and fauna motifs interspersed with
mythological beings. These wonderfully creative masterpieces
evoke an African aesthetic but are worlds apart from what we
consider traditional African pottery. They are in fact narrative-based
creations that tell of life, love, nature and even politics. These much
sought-after ceramics grace the halls of Buckingham Palace and the
White House as well as museums and galleries around the world,
and they would look exceptional in any upmarket home – just be
warned: the price tags are justifiably heavy.
So, whether your choice is traditional Zulu pots, exquisite Ardmore
ceramics or something big, bold and chunky you could almost hide
in, you need to know the best way to incorporate them into your
interior.