The Special Collections Book of the Week this week is:

South African Ceramics: Museum Ceramic Collections of the University of Pretoria by Sian Tiley-Nel and Gerard De Kamper.

“African ceramics are as old as the continent’s organisation of civilisation. The skills required in creating these artefacts are steeped in artistic, aesthetic and cultural values—skills and traditions that have been honed and refined over centuries. The empirical transfer of genetically embedded talent from generation to generation has culminated in an art from that is rich in historical significance and continuously strives to be relevant in an age wherein the need to justify the importance of traditional art remains topical.”

The UP Museums feature local ceramic collections including archaeological ceramics, traditional and historical ceramics up to 20th century studio, factory and cotemporary wares. The collections have been brought together under one roof in the Old Arts Building to celebrate the rich array of South African Ceramics and the artists from the past to the present.

Catalogue Access: https://UnivofPretoria.on.worldcat.org/oclc/960934839

This book is available at Special Collections, housed on level 5 of the Merensky 2 Library. There copies in both our Africana (ZA) Collection and our Tukkiana (TUK) Collection.

The Special Collections unit of the Department of Library Services plays a stewardship role in the acquisition and preservation of the Library's rare and valuable information resources, making them accessible to students, staff and researchers, as well as safeguarding them for future generations.

During the month of March, the Special Collections unit of UP Library and the UP Museums are collaborating to bring attention to the special collections of the University of Pretoria.