Rural potters in the Eastern Cape, South Africa: what next?

Fired clay vessels created by rural potters in remote areas of the former Transkei, Eastern Cape in South Africa, hardly feature at all in thinking, collecting, and writing about ceramics praxis in this province. Yet, such vessels and potters bear further attention, as does the wide variety of technical know- how utilized which results in works featuring extensively differing styles and techniques. This paper thus seeks to engage with a process of finding untold stories so as to address some aspects of neglected status of rural women visual artists, with particular focus on three potters who have successfully worked with clay as medium for their entire adult lives.