Ceramics Biennale run this month
Cathy McRoberts and Catherine Brennon, judges in the Bank Windhoek Ceramics Biennale had their work cut out for them to select the top ceramics from the 35 entries comprising almost 200 individual pieces.
The Ceramics Biennale runs until 30 October in the Lower Gallery of the gallery. The Ceramics Biennale forms part of the Bank Windhoek Arts Festival October programme. This year, a total of 35 entries were received, with 189 pots and ceramics as well as some traditional rural works of potters from the Caprivi. Five entries are from non-members and the rest of the entries are from PAN members. The two main judges, Catherine Brennon from South Africa and Cathy McRoberts from Windhoek, judged the artwork this week. It took the two judges a few hours to go through the numerous entries. “Cathy McRoberts and I had an interesting time making the selections. We were in agreement 90% of the time and it helped having similar aesthetics. Although we separately selected the prize winners, when we compared our lists, they were almost identical”, said Ms Brennon. After the judging session, only 36 works were rejected, which means that 153 works are on display at the exhibition. This is only an 18% rejection rate compared to the 25% of 2011. Meanwhile, the Potters Association has set up a Development Fund which is used to assist Namibian potters financially. With every Biennale, the association organises the transport of the traditional rural pots from the Caprivi to Windhoek. The public is invited to visit the exhibition and all art pieces are for sale.
