Is a series of figurative ceramic forms that “publishes” a portion of my anthropology dissertation Through a Coloured Lens: Post-Apartheid Identity Formation Amongst Coloureds in KZN and expand upon my prior ceramic series Coloured Pots: Izinkhamba kwamaKaladi.
By visually manifesting the animals used to classify “mixed-race” humans I aim to challenge the dehumanizing terms of race science used to other people. The project, in addition to being an artistic and scholarly endeavor, is personal.
Coming of age in New York City people would regularly ask me “What are you?” The question jarred my psyche and even though I knew people wondered about my racial category sometimes I would answer “human!” Other times before knowing the historical baggage of the word, I would answer “mulatto” because by American classification I am “half black” (my mom is darker skinned from South Africa) and “half white” (my dad is German-Sicilian). Later, I learned that this term was the Spanish word for mule – the barren offspring of a donkey and a horse, a beast of burden.
Using the symbology and etymology of the term “hybrid” as a foundation I will create 10 ceramic non-human animal forms that will bear the weight of quotes from my dissertation research coupled with historical images to demonstrate the dehumanizing elements of race science as it applied to “people of color” generally and people of mixed-race specifically. The juxtaposition of portions of the research will contextualize how using zoological terms to refer to “BIPOC” was (and continues to be) a strategy of colonizers, imperialists, and capitalists to dehumanize and exploit colonized peoples for gain.
The new artwork series uses the same techniques of transferring images and words on to the clay forms to unpack the history of racializing “the other.” The work is the crossroads between craft, social science, and social justice. It is a call to action; to bring forth the injustices of classifications and legal structures that segregate and oppress human beings. The work aims to dismantle white supremacy, show that history and language matter, and that multivocality is essential to humanize all people in the face of dehumanization and exploitation. Each figurative sculpture will build upon the work of the Coloured Pots series in that it will examine the global phenomena of colonization and the mixing of colonizer and native to produce people seen as ambiguous and not belonging.
Mulatto: Beast of Burden (2024) This sculpture is an example of the principles and media that will be incorporated into the new series.
The multidimensionality of human innovation surrounding ceramic traditions, especially of indigenous communities, coupled with the intersections of my immediate and extended families’ multicultural traditions and colonial histories are my greatest influences. I take an interdisciplinary approach to art and scholarship that blend seamlessly into regular, disciplined practice leading to successful projects. Past successes inform this opportunity. “Coloured Pots…” unpacks moments of miscegenation to form “Coloureds” who were subjected to race-based legislation and cultural policing. “Places, Pits, and Pots,” explores the materials and techniques of two groups of indigenous people. Using the time-honored practices of harvesting clay, hand building techniques (coiling, smoothing, and burnishing) and pit-firing to render organic material permanent celebrates human-earth relationships manifested through borderless cycles of creativity, labor, and love.
In addition to creating art, I seek to empower and inspire critical and creative thinking across a broad demographic spectrum. To do this, I will work with artists, patrons, and community members across the region through schools and arts organizations. Lastly, transferring my dissertation onto ceramic forms challenges the “publish or perish” paradigm in the academic world. My goal is to broaden people’s understanding of literacy and remind people of the importance of art throughout time in communicating philosophical, historical, and emotional subjects. I value the opportunity provided the freedom to express myself and convey important concepts that challenge peoples’ perceptions of the status quo and work towards a more inclusive future.
Future sculptures include Mutt, Mongol, Hibridia, Papal Bull 1452, George Washington's mule...
Stay tuned!
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