EARTHENWARE SOCCER

Back to soccer - these are earthenware blocks made by Hennie Meyer featuring portraits of some of the top soccer players in the world. They can be hung on the wall or lie on a table. Wonderful skill, like etchings on clay, and an excellent likeness achieved. We sell these in our shop, Clementina Ceramics at the Old Biscuit Mill in Woodstock, and also here at our studio in Woodstock

AMEN

IMAGE FROM JESSICA HILLTOUT'S 'THE AMEN PROJECT'

IMAGE FROM JESSICA HILLTOUT'S 'THE AMEN PROJECT'

IMAGE FROM JESSICA HILLTOUT'S 'THE AMEN PROJECT'

After all the fanfare around yesterday's opening matches and all the excitement, a gentle antidote, still around soccer, is an exquisite new book which documents football in Africa, 'AMEN' by Jessica Hilltout.The photographs are moving and beautiful, a very aesthetic portrayal of the beautiful game as it is played on the ground and far away from the glitzy stadiums.

'This book pays homage to Africa. It is a tribute to the forgotten, to the majority.

All the people who live and will remain in the shadow of the World Cup deserve to have a light shone on them, not just for their passion for the game, but more so for the fundamental energy and enthusiasm that shines through the way they live.'

SOCCER AGAIN..

'FOOTBALL IS THE BALLET OF THE MASSES' - SHOSTAKOVICH

These days are bound to be filled with soccer hype..flags are flying everywhere in Cape Town, and much last minute finishing off of infrastructure along roads...

SOCCER FUN

FIFI CUP BY HENNIE MEYER

We are starting to clear the studio today and set up the 'Of World Cups etc.' exhibition. Artists have made some really fun pieces..see Hennie's interpretation above.More to follow soon...

WORLD SOCCER CUP ANECDOTES

TROPHY FOR PICKLES

The first world soccer cup, named the Jules Rimet cup, was stolen in Westminster, UK in 1966 and then found under a hedge in South London by a dog named Pickles...later it was stolen again in Rio de Janeiro in 1983 and believed to have been melted down. The Fifa World Cup was first presented in 1974 made of solid 18 carat gold. This remains a floating trophy.

ALL THAT MONEY

'OH FOR THOSE MILLIONS...' - WHEEL THROWN EARTHENWARE TROPHY

WINNERS GET R227 MILLION...

"In a world where is so much poverty it is criminal for individuals to earn so much money" - Referring to the upcoming world soccer cup event this was stated by the South African poet, painter and activist Breyten Breytenbach at a talk last night held at the Institute for a Democratic South Africa(Idasa) in Cape Town .

OF WORLD CUPS, PLANTS AND IDENTITIES

LET'S CELEBRATE!

SAT 5TH JUNE FROM 11AM - 2 PM

AT OUR JOINT STUDIO

501 TOLLGATE INDUSTRIAL CENTRE, 12 RAVENSCRAIG ROAD, WOODSTOCK, CAPE TOWN. TEL 021 448 3203

WORLD CUPS, PLANTS AND IDENTITIES.. AND A POP-UP SHOP OF ALL SORTS OF THINGS...

CERAMICS - Clementina van der Walt, Lisa Firer, Andile Dyalvane, Hennie Meyer Studio

CROCHET WORK - Peta Becker

EMBROIDERY - Margaret Woermann

PHOTOGRAPHY - Albie Bailey

TEXTILES - Jane Solomon

THE EXHIBITION WILL BE ON SHOW(WEEKDAYS 9 - 5) FOR DURATION OF THE EVENT THAT CAN'T BE NAMED...

MORE OF SOCCER...

It has been rumored here in Cape Town, that the Fifa president has insisted that he be served ice cubes made of Avian mineral water (we have excellent tap water here!) when he arrives for the forthcoming soccer world cup..so herewith, a trophy dedicated to Mr.Blatter..

FOOTBALL TROPHIES

OSCAR WILDE TROPHY - wheel thrown earthenware with majolica glaze

I am working on a series of trophies themed on the soon-to-happen in South Africa soccer world cup. These will be exhibited along with work by other artists on 5th June at our studio in Woodstock. Details will follow soon..

SOCCER FRENZY

The general hype around the forthcoming soccer world cup must surely be rubbing off on me...inspired by what I made last week for the Isonke exhibition, I have now done a range of plates depicting soccer players in action..I find it quite exciting entering this world which is completely alien to me..

A SOMEWHAT WHACKY SOCCER CELEBRATION!

PETA BECKER - CROCHETED POT PLANTS; CLEMENTINA VAN DER WALT CUPS WITH CACTI

We are currently all working furiously making work for an exhibition to be held here at our studio on the 5th June. 'OF WORLD CUPS, PLANTS AND IDENTITIES' is to be a celebratory exhibition as part of the line-up to the 2010 World Cup Soccer event to be hosted in South Africa in June/July. Several artists are taking part, some serious and some slightly tongue in cheek...oh and the inclusion of plants in the theme is merely part of the eccentricity!

SOCCER CELEBRATION

MY PLATES FOR THE ISONKE/BREAD EXHIBITION CELEBRATING SOCCER

Various artists, mainly calligraphy artists, were invited to take part in a fundraising exhibition - 'Isonke/Bread Plate exhibition - in celebration of

The 2010 World Cup Soccer' - opening tomorrow, Tuesday 11th at Art b. The Arts Association of Bellville

the http://www.artb.co.za/gallery.htm

'Soccer is the world's greatest equaliser, the easiest game to play on any surface, in any clothes, in any footwear or in nothing at all.'

Jesper Strudsholm quoted from the book Soccer in Africa - A Game of Passion by Tine Harden

SOCCER PASSION

CAMEROONS AND THE NETHERLANDS HERE WE COME!

STUDIO ASSISTANTS ADONIS AND SANDILE JUMPING FOR JOY ON HEARING THAT THEY WILL GET TICKETS TO ONE OF THE LIVE MAJOR SOCCER MATCHES TO BE HELD HERE IN CAPE TOWN

The soccer world cup - known in some circles here as 'the event that can't be named'(!) - is coming up in about 34 days time. Most of South Africa is waiting in excited anticipation...there is much frenzy and last minute upgrading of roads, bridges and other facilities. 8 matches will be held here in Cape Town.

In the studio we are starting to get into it...we will be holding a group exhibition here at the end of May to celebrate...

I, in particular, who have never been very interested, yesterday came across a fabulous new book, just published:

Soccer in Africa – A Game of Passion by Photographer and Writer Tine Harden

Struik Publishers Published 1 May 2010.

The photographs are extremely moving and this has given me a whole new perception of soccer and the significance of it in most communities on the African continent.

I am also inspired to make some ceramic work around the theme.

To the photographer and writer, (Danish) Tine Harden I salute you! This book really does reveal that soccer is the most beautiful game, in a way that most visual images of it, just don't manage to accomplish.