Rorke's Drift Art and Craft Centre
Encyclopedia
Through his consultations as intergroup mediator in the late 1960s, H.W. van der Merwe (‘Harvey’) was alerted to the presence of Rorke’s Drift Art and Craft Centre in KwaZulu-Natal
, South Africa
and a need for assistance in its newly established Pottery Workshop. By happy coincidence, his wife Marietjie was an MFA (Ceramics) graduate of UCLA and a practicing South African ceramist who was able to offer her support to the studio at Rorke's Drift
. Marietjie was appointed Advisor to the Pottery Workshop in 1971, and having designed and built a large oil-firing kiln in 1973, she continued to mentor the studio’s ceramists and to help with technical problems until her untimely death in 1992.
The Pottery Workshop started in 1968 with Danish supervisors (first Peter Tybjerg, then later Ole and Anne Nielsen) with founding throwers Gordon Mbatha, Ephraim Ziqubu, Bhekisani Manyoni and Joel Sibisi. Already expert ceramists from the neighbouring Shiyane-Nqutu region, Dinah Molefe and several women of her family joined the Pottery Workshop from the start as skilled hand-builders, accustomed to using traditional Zulu and Sotho coiling methods in the making of domestic izinkamba (beer pots). The gendered work-division in the studio’s ceramics —women coiling, men throwing— has been maintained to the present.
Founded by the Church of Sweden Mission, partly as a measure of solidarity with the South African struggle for a just and equitable society, Rorke’s Drift Art and Craft Centre started producing weaving in 1962. Its first Swedish directors were Ulla (an artist and weaver) and Peder Gowenius (an art teacher
), both graduates of Konstfackskolan in Stockholm. During the 1960s the three main production studios were established at Rorke’s Drift (as it is known worldwide), and its staff continue to design and create tapestries and woven rugs, printed fabrics and stoneware ceramics to the present.
In the harsh era of oppression when apartheid policies denied a formal education
to black artists and crafters, Rorke’s Drift also established a Fine Art School that produced some of southern Africa’s most renowned artists and printmakers (for example Azaria Mbatha, John Muafangejo, Dan Rakgoathe, and Bongiwe Dhlomo).
Coincidently Rorke’s Drift is also a famous South African battlefield -of the same name- that marks an historical site of Zulu resistance against British colonial rule
in 1879. Despite the cultural significance
of the Art and Craft Centre in contemporary South African heritage, the adjoining battlefield continues to be the main drawcard for the region’s tourists. Doubtless Harvey and Marietjie van der Merwe, peace-makers in the struggle era, were aware of this irony.
Christiane Voith is the current Centre Manager of Rorke's Drift Art and Craft Centre.
The authoritative publication about Rorke's Drift printmakers, most of whom were trained at its Fine Art School was written by Philippa Hobbs
and Elizabeth Rankin in 2003. Titled Rorke's Drift: Empowering Prints the book's publisher in Cape Town is Double Storey.
KwaZulu-Natal
KwaZulu-Natal is a province of South Africa. Prior to 1994, the territory now known as KwaZulu-Natal was made up of the province of Natal and the homeland of KwaZulu....
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and a need for assistance in its newly established Pottery Workshop. By happy coincidence, his wife Marietjie was an MFA (Ceramics) graduate of UCLA and a practicing South African ceramist who was able to offer her support to the studio at Rorke's Drift
Rorke's Drift
The Battle of Rorke's Drift, also known as the Defence of Rorke's Drift, was a battle in the Anglo-Zulu War. The defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift, under the command of Lieutenant John Chard of the Royal Engineers, immediately followed the British Army's defeat at the Battle of...
. Marietjie was appointed Advisor to the Pottery Workshop in 1971, and having designed and built a large oil-firing kiln in 1973, she continued to mentor the studio’s ceramists and to help with technical problems until her untimely death in 1992.
The Pottery Workshop started in 1968 with Danish supervisors (first Peter Tybjerg, then later Ole and Anne Nielsen) with founding throwers Gordon Mbatha, Ephraim Ziqubu, Bhekisani Manyoni and Joel Sibisi. Already expert ceramists from the neighbouring Shiyane-Nqutu region, Dinah Molefe and several women of her family joined the Pottery Workshop from the start as skilled hand-builders, accustomed to using traditional Zulu and Sotho coiling methods in the making of domestic izinkamba (beer pots). The gendered work-division in the studio’s ceramics —women coiling, men throwing— has been maintained to the present.
Founded by the Church of Sweden Mission, partly as a measure of solidarity with the South African struggle for a just and equitable society, Rorke’s Drift Art and Craft Centre started producing weaving in 1962. Its first Swedish directors were Ulla (an artist and weaver) and Peder Gowenius (an art teacher
Art education
Art education is the area of learning that is based upon the visual, tangible arts—drawing, painting, sculpture, and design in jewelry, pottery, weaving, fabrics, etc. and design applied to more practical fields such as commercial graphics and home furnishings...
), both graduates of Konstfackskolan in Stockholm. During the 1960s the three main production studios were established at Rorke’s Drift (as it is known worldwide), and its staff continue to design and create tapestries and woven rugs, printed fabrics and stoneware ceramics to the present.
In the harsh era of oppression when apartheid policies denied a formal education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
to black artists and crafters, Rorke’s Drift also established a Fine Art School that produced some of southern Africa’s most renowned artists and printmakers (for example Azaria Mbatha, John Muafangejo, Dan Rakgoathe, and Bongiwe Dhlomo).
Coincidently Rorke’s Drift is also a famous South African battlefield -of the same name- that marks an historical site of Zulu resistance against British colonial rule
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
in 1879. Despite the cultural significance
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
of the Art and Craft Centre in contemporary South African heritage, the adjoining battlefield continues to be the main drawcard for the region’s tourists. Doubtless Harvey and Marietjie van der Merwe, peace-makers in the struggle era, were aware of this irony.
Christiane Voith is the current Centre Manager of Rorke's Drift Art and Craft Centre.
The authoritative publication about Rorke's Drift printmakers, most of whom were trained at its Fine Art School was written by Philippa Hobbs
Philippa Hobbs
Philippa Hobbs is a published South African art historian, an artist and an art collector. She was born in 1955 and matriculated at St Andrew's School in 1972. She studied art at the Johannesburg College of Art before finishing a post-graduate printmaking course at the University of the Arts...
and Elizabeth Rankin in 2003. Titled Rorke's Drift: Empowering Prints the book's publisher in Cape Town is Double Storey.