From the artist:
“My love for Hylton Nel will never fade. It is a love inherited from my father. Previous works such as Jockstrap Ashtray/My Father Thinks My Work Looks Too Much Like Hyltons reflect on this love as well. A series of plates by the artist that I grew up with in my home serves as a seed for this great admiration. This piece borrows the poeticism and aesthetic cues of Nel’s work reinvented in my own hand. I reflect upon my youth and my father criticising my tendencies towards gayness and being effeminate, while in the same breath praising and admiring these plates, made by a proudly gay artist. I make works in Nel’s likeness to unpack this paradox, hoping that even in jest, I too can temporarily inject myself into the canon of queer clay and ceramic artists to come from South Africa that I so appreciate and enjoy.”
Artist and jewellery designer Githan Coopoo works exclusively in clay to create unique pieces of poetic import. “I find clay to be a medium that is both uncomplicated and universally timeless. I hope my pieces bring a subtle sense of self-awareness to the wearer — an almost grounding sensation. To adorn the body with a fragile ornament is to make a commitment to sensibility and sensitivity — both powerful and beautiful practices.” Githan graduated from UCT in 2017 with degrees in English and Art History. He lives and works in Cape Town.
“My love for Hylton Nel will never fade. It is a love inherited from my father. Previous works such as Jockstrap Ashtray/My Father Thinks My Work Looks Too Much Like Hyltons reflect on this love as well. A series of plates by the artist that I grew up with in my home serves as a seed for this great admiration. This piece borrows the poeticism and aesthetic cues of Nel’s work reinvented in my own hand. I reflect upon my youth and my father criticising my tendencies towards gayness and being effeminate, while in the same breath praising and admiring these plates, made by a proudly gay artist. I make works in Nel’s likeness to unpack this paradox, hoping that even in jest, I too can temporarily inject myself into the canon of queer clay and ceramic artists to come from South Africa that I so appreciate and enjoy.”
21 x 21 cm | clay and acrylic | unique
Artist and jewellery designer Githan Coopoo works exclusively in clay to create unique pieces of poetic import. “I find clay to be a medium that is both uncomplicated and universally timeless. I hope my pieces bring a subtle sense of self-awareness to the wearer — an almost grounding sensation. To adorn the body with a fragile ornament is to make a commitment to sensibility and sensitivity — both powerful and beautiful practices.” Githan graduated from UCT in 2017 with degrees in English and Art History. He lives and works in Cape Town.