Chuma Maweni

Furniture maker | Cape Town, South Africa

A ceramic nod to African cultures

Chuma gets his inspiration from South African village legacy traditions
He perpetuates ancestral techniques such as smoke-firing, coiling and pinching
His pieces feature signature, hand-carved patterning and ridges

Chuma Maweni creates ceramic furniture with the wheel throwing technique. "I prefer this technique, as it allows me to form large-scale works by putting together separate pieces," he explains. With a bachelor of technology in ceramic design from Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Universitym, Chuma contributed to community development by teaching ceramics to rural women in a poverty alleviation programme. He also taught his craft while working for the Light from Africa Foundation in Cape Town, and he is represented by the Southern Guild gallery today. "I hope people get a sense of peace and joy from my works," Chuma says. In addition to being exhibited in Design Miami, PAD London and Expo Chicago, his works are also showcased in the exhibition called Before Yesterday We Could Fly: An Afrofuturist Period Room in the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection in New York.

Interview

©Gerhardt Coetze & Southern Guild

©Southern Guild

Why did you choose to pursue furniture making?: I was introduced to clay at an early age. While playing on riverbanks, I used to dig out clay to shape small animals. After high school, I wanted to study graphic design, but I discovered I was much more skilled in ceramics. My interest in this craft just kept growing.
Do you work with any specific techniques?: I carry on ancestral techniques, such as smoke-firing, in which ceramic works are placed in a smoky fire to allow smoke to leave patterns on the surface. I also work with coiling and pinching, which are both universal and deeply rooted in Zulu and Xhosa cultures.
What inspires your works?: Some of my works are inspired by emblematic buildings, such as the infinity tower in Dubai or Zaha Hadid's designs. I use the curves and torsion of architecture to fuel my creativity. The zigzag patterns present in some of my ceramics are visual memories of traditional hut roofs from my childhood.
What do you hope people feel when they see your furniture?: I hope for people to engage with my pieces. To encourage exchange and discussion, I created a table with carved glazed ceramic inspired by imbizo, which are community gatherings in South African villages. Most importantly, I hope my work evokes a sense of peace and joy in whoever sees it.

Chuma Maweni is a master artisan: he began his career in 2002 and he started teaching in 2002