Clothed in meaning: the representation of women in the clay sculptures of Noria Mabasa, Olive Seoka and Rebecca Mathibe

Abstract

The dissertation investigates the representation of women in clay sculptures made by three female artists from the northern Transvaal. A brief history of southern African terracotta sculpture precedes discussion of the selected artists' lives, and their contemporary imagery is compared with that of two traditional women potters. In an analysis of specific examples, discussion is focussed on iconography (clothing and depicted activities) and on techniques and formal issues to deduce the social meaning of the sculptures. The feminist methodology employed ensures that women's role is thoroughly investigated in both traditional and contemporary rural society. The theoretical research is accompanied by the candidate's practical body of work, and the influence of the research on the iconography and evolution of the black and white drawings and etchings is explored in an Appendix to the dissertation.