Kalahari Studio: Honouring the Past, Shaping Legacies

21 Jan 2025

Founder members of the Kalahari Studio, Aleksanders Klopcanovs and Elma Vestman manufactured a variety of products, including sculptures, vases, bowls, platters and very popular wall plaques. Their wares were decorated with a variety of figurative motifs – drawn from San Rock Art and South African fauna and flora – and geometric patterns – mainly based on Zulu beadwork and earplugs. Elma, especially, found inspiration from Lavian folk embroidery, and needlework design elements of Scandinavian weaving.

The Kalahari Studio (1948–1973) holds a unique place in South Africa’s art history, combining local cultural designs with modern styles to create ceramics rich in history and meaning. Founded by Aleksanders Klopcanovs and Elma Vestman, the studio’s wares—a diverse array including sculptures, bowls, platters, wall plaques, and more—reflect an artistic vision that was both deeply rooted in local traditions and boldly innovative.

Figurative imagery, especially depictions of indigenous African women and elements inspired by Southern San rock art, is central to the studio’s work. These representations, set against the broader context of South African art history, engage with complex narratives through nuanced perspectives. The use of biomorphic forms, inspired by the international modernist movements of the 1950s, showcases the studio’s commitment to artistic experimentation furthered by the use of materials and techniques that are in intimate dialogue with the environment from which the work was made. Terracotta clay, often left unglazed to represent human forms, was a favoured medium, bringing to life depictions of clothing, beadwork and headdresses. The work often drew inspiration from both Nguni material culture and international influences.

The studio’s enduring legacy lies in its synthesis of indigenous  South African forms with modernist design,  leaving an indelible mark on the artistic landscape of the mid-20th century.