ABOUT ART FORMES

Art Formes is dedicated to shedding light on the domain of clay within contemporary South African art, illustrating many of the sculptural aspects of this medium. An institution that straddles both the publication of literature and the exhibition of artworks within the field of contemporary clay. Art Formes was founded in 2021 by art historian Olivia Barrell, who returned to South Africa after several years in Paris, specialising in Chinese porcelain at the Sorbonne University and the National Institute of Art History (INHA). Drawing on this expertise, Barrell embarked on a journey of spotlighting the leading artistic talents from South Africa who specialise in clay and ceramics. This endeavour thus led to the publication of CLAY FORMES in August 2023, a groundbreaking compilation featuring the works of thirty of South Africa’s foremost clay artists. Explore all featured artists here. 

Art Formes focuses on sculptural form within contemporary art, in mediums which might have been previously overlooked. The word “forme” is borrowed from the French meaning “shape, form or object [of art] ”, attempting to pioneer new vocabulary for contemporary sculptural works. 

“Form from the Latin forma, meaning shape. It means the inherent nature of an object, that in which the essence of a thing consists. It’s versatile. It holds us, it moulds us, it identifies us, it shows us how to be, it gives us a blueprint in life and art, it’s about essentiality…” [Ali Smith, Artful]