Unspoken: Ceramics from the Corobrik Collection
Corobrik Gallery, Old Arts Building
October 2021 to December 2024

The exhibition Unspoken showcases signature South African ceramics from the Corobrik Collection.  In 2021, a four-year loan agreement was signed to commit to a long-term exhibition by the University of Pretoria (UP) Museums held in partnership with Corobrik, Ceramics Southern Africa (SA) and the City of Tshwane’s Pretoria Art Museum (PAM). The exhibition explores the theme of the unspoken. In the past, ceramics were considered only as a medium and have ever since, been considered an iconic art form typical to the African continent.

The contributing artists are well-known South African ceramicists who remain foundational change- makers of both the past and present, and the contributions they made and continue to make as South African ceramics are globally recognised and appreciated as an art form. The ceramicists highlighted in the exhibition, examine how, and why their art is influenced by both personal journeys, the artistic profession and the role ceramics play within contemporary art. This often unspoken art medium is complex beyond its materiality of clay that is transformed into diverse shapes, each ceramic on exhibition tells a deep and sometimes not obvious narrative

Historically, Corobrik was founded in 1902, but have since become a market leader and a major South African manufacturer of clay bricks, masonry, pavers, and concrete earth retaining systems. Today, they produce more than 5 million products each day and have a footprint in every major city throughout South Africa. In 1982, Corobrik assumed sponsorship of Ceramics SA, which began as the Association of Potters of Southern Africa who earnestly began the ceramic collection in 1977. The earliest winning ceramics from National Exhibitions founded this collection and began with only three items which included: a porcelain bowl and a clay sculpture. Since then, Ceramics SA contributes ongoing to the Corobrik Collection from award-winning ceramics from regional and national exhibitions. 

In Unspoken, works in the Corobrik Collection are paired into collectives to deliberately create conversations, explore shared histories, tensions and their contemporary functions and meaning, allowing for more nuanced perspectives in the world of ceramics. Ceramics are presented as both functional, symbolic, sculptural pieces and merely creative ceramic forms. The Corobrik Collection comprises 276 works by more than 184 South African artists and is on display in a dedicated Corobrik Gallery in the Old Arts Building until end of December 2024.