T H E W I D E W O R L D O F C R A F T
b y t h e s p le n d id la n d s c a p e s u r r o u n d in g h e r
s t u d io a n d T h e F o r g e , a s p a c e f o r m u s ic r e -
c it a ls , e x h ib it io n s a n d h a p p e n in g s , s h e c a p -
tu r e s m o m e n ts t h a t r e s o n a t e , g l o w a n d c a lm .
N e ig h b o r s o f G le n d a y a r e th e b r o t h e r s
C h r is ( w i t h w h o m s h e ’ s w o r k e d in t h e p a s t )
a n d N i c B la d e n , b o t h s ilv e r s m it h s a n d m e ta l
w o r k e r s . C h r is f o c u s e s o n la r g e r s c u lp t u r e s
o f fis h s o a r in g in t o t h e a ir , d a n c in g a b o v e
t h e w a v e s , w h i l e N i c ’ s i n t r i c a t e a n d d e l i -
c a te p ie c e s a r e fa s h io n e d fr o m t h e in d ig -
e n o u s p la n t lif e o f t h e C a p e , h o m e t o s o m e
2 0 p e r c e n t o f A f r i c a ’s f lo r a . N i c c a s t s t h e
e n t ir e p la n t , in c lu d in g t h e r o o t s y s t e m , in
d e lic a t e s c u lp t u r e s o f v a r io u s p r e c io u s m e t -
a ls . “ T o m e , a r t in S o u t h A f r i c a s e e m s v e r y
p e r s o n a l,” s a y s N i c . “ T h e r e a r e s o m a n y
c u lt u r a l s t o r ie s a n d n u a n c e s t h a t n e e d t o b e
e x p r e s s e d b e f o r e t h e y g o m is s in g in t h e im -
m in e n t m ix o f c u lt u r e a n d r a c e .”
A n o t h e r K a lk B a y lo c a l w h o c o n t r ib u t e s
t o t h e c e r a m ic s w o r l d is C h r is t in a B r y e r .
H e r c a p t i v a t i n g p o r c e l a in m a n d a la s o f f e r
t h e v i e w e r a s p a c e f o r r e p r i e v e —a m o m e n t
in w h ic h t o r e s t w it h i n th e p e r f e c t g e o m e t r y
f r o m t h e n o is e o f t h e w o r ld .
I t s h o u ld b e n o s u r p r is e t h a t C a p e T o w n
is h o m e t o e x t r a o r d in a r y a r t , c r a f t , d e s ig n
a n d a r c h i t e c t u r e . V a r i e d a n d o r ig in a l, t h e s e
m a n ife s t a t io n s a r e p a r t o f t h e f a b r ic t h a t
m a k e s S o u t h A f r i c a a n d it s p e o p l e s u n iq u e .
W i t h t h e b lig h t o f a p a r th e id ( t h e g o v e r n -
m e n t p o l i c y o f r a c ia l s e p a r a tio n t h a t w a s in
f o r c e f o r 4 6 y e a r s ) n o w 16 y e a r s in t h e p a s t ,
t h is s o c i e t y is f o r g in g n e w c r e a t iv e t e r r i -
t o r y , in s p ir e d b y r ic h t r a d it io n s , a s p e c t a c u -
la r p h y s ic a l e n v ir o n m e n t a n d a d e s ir e t o
h a v e t h e n a t io n s u c c e e d th r o u g h t h e s h a r in g
o f id e a s a n d s k ills , r e c o g n it io n o f d i f f e r -
e n c e s , a n d r e s p e c t f o r e t h n ic it y a n d a n c ie n t
a r ts . “ C r a f t in C a p e T o w n is v ib r a n t , c o l o r -
f u l , c h a o t i c a n d i n s p ir in g ,” s a y s C a t h y
R o n a s a n . “ I t is b e a u t ifu l in it s r a w n e s s a n d
h a s a s o u l t h a t p r o je c t s t h e e n e r g y o f t h e
c o u n t r y w e li v e in .” ♦
Fraser H. Conlon is a partner in Amaridiati,
a Manhattan-based gallery specializing in
contemporary art from Sub-Saharan Africa.
Above:
Chris Bladen
Tellowfm Duo,
2004,
edition of 15, bronze,
wood and granite base,
14 x 9V5 x 15 in.
Below:
Nic Bladen
Protea caffra,
2009,
bronze, 1
6V2
x 12 Vs in.
Right
Nic Bladen
New collection, 2009,
bronze, silver, tallest
25% in.
070 american craft apr/may 10
