iMvelaphi: Chuma Maweni’s Solo Show at Southern Guild Cape Town

WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Hayden Phipps (exhibition); Gerhardt Coetzee (process)

South African ceramicist Chuma Maweni’s solo exhibition of functional artworks titled iMvelaphi draws links between the cyclical expansion of life and the spiritual symbology at the heart of Chuma’s studio practice.

If you are in Cape Town over the festive season, a visit to Southern Guild Cape Town to see Chuma Maweni‘s iMvelaphi is a definite must. iMvelaphi marks the artist’s first solo exhibition and features his largest collection of handcrafted furniture, lighting, and vessels to date. A master of wheel-thrown ceramics, Chuma has pioneered the translation of Xhosa pottery traditions into contemporary collectable design, evolving new typologies of form and applications of scale that are entirely distinct.

The exhibition’s isiXhosa title translates to “where I come from”, an ode to Chuma’s literal birthplace and the biographical experiences that have formed his identity. In looking back, he considers not only his trajectory growing up in the rural Eastern Cape, but his evolution of ceramic forms as well. Both are influenced by the circular nature of change—growth radiates outward from a central point, looping back and echoing rather than following a linear path.

Working at the wheel, almost everything Chuma creates begins as a vessel that opens up or closes back in around a central point. He points to the prevalence of circular forms in traditional African design: rural rondavels historically built with a central supporting pillar called an ‘intsika’, the ‘ukhamba’ pot out of which the community drinks ‘umqombothi’ (traditional beer), the kraal enclosure for livestock at the heart of each homestead.

Since opening his Cape Town studio in 2016, Chuma has developed a successful practice known for its technical skill and creative refinement. His journey into ceramic furniture began with the burnished, smoke-fired Tear Drop Canister series, which reflects his exceptional craftsmanship. This collection inspired the iconic Imbizo table and stool set, which has since expanded to include a variety of stools, plinths, and tables made from black stoneware clay.

Working with meticulous precision, Chuma’s furniture and sculptural works are defined by an exceptional sense of balance, their dark silhouettes articulated by crisp ridges and bands of carved patterns. “The wheel is the master for me,” he says. “I have to negotiate and communicate with it. I have to stay alert to its rhythm. I can’t allow anything to disrupt my focus – the movement of my hands and the steady pressure of my foot on the pedal.”

iMvelaphi will showcase several new tables combining ceramic with metal and wood. Whereas previously the artist had carved into timber to create the tops, these works feature horizontal surfaces made from clay tiles. The pieces are cut from large slabs of clay etched with geometric patterns, creating various shapes. After drying for several weeks, the tiles are fired and reassembled like a puzzle before being attached to the tabletop. This meticulous process requires keeping the tiles small to prevent warping in the kiln.

Chuma’s iterative process involves engraving patterns and creating composite designs. One pattern leads to another, resulting in a variety of stools, tables, and chairs. A feedback loop born out of the natural rhythms that govern our existence and in the most ancient of materials – clay itself.

iMvelaphi runs from 14 November 2024 – 27 February 2025 at Southern Guild Cape Town. | southernguild.com

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