Artist
Nesta Nala
South Africa
Zulu master. Traditional technique, contemporary vision.
She took traditional Zulu pottery and gave it a contemporary voice.
Nesta Nala was a Zulu master potter from KwaZulu-Natal. She learned traditional techniques from her mother and grandmother—coiling, burnishing, pit-firing—and then pushed them further than anyone had before. Her vessels grew larger, her surfaces more refined. The techniques were ancient; the vision was contemporary. She taught extensively, passing techniques to younger generations.
How can traditional techniques serve contemporary vision?