Small smoke-fired pot

Small smoke-fired pot

Size: 17cm(h) x 14cm(w)

Fani Ceramics

South Africa

Hand-made, small Smoke-Fired Pot, size: W14cm x H17cm.

£100.00

In stock


  • SIZE (cm): 17cm(h) x 14cm(w)
  • WEIGHT (kg):
  • MEDIUM: Pots
  • YEAR: 2017
  • ARTIST: Fani Ceramics
  • SIGNED: Yes

Fani Ceramics clay pots are smoke-fired in their studio in Woodstock. Smoke-firing is a tradition Zulu technique which uses smoke rather than glaze to colour the pots, and requires only fire, newspaper, vegetable oil, a stone and a lot of patience.

The Fani pots and vessels start off life as pinkish-red clay which is moulded over some time into pieces of art and left to dry for up to two weeks, depending on the size of the piece. Once dry, the pots and vessels are carefully burnished with a stone, using vegetable oil as a lubricant. This process creates the smooth, glossy surfaces of the pots.They are then layered with newspaper and placed in the kiln. The newspaper is lit, creating smoke around the pots and causing the clay to darken. The more tightly the smoke is contained in the firing, the blacker the pieces will be coloured.

Smoke-firing is a very exciting technique because the results are always a surprise. As a result, each Fani pot or vessel is unique shape, pattern and colour.

Please remember that Fani Ceramics pots and vessels are pieces of decorative art, and are not intended as utility items. We do not recommend that you put water inside them as they are not glazed and the porous surface will eventually crack.

Tucked away behind a design centre in Woodstock, one of Cape Town’s bustling creative areas, three excitingly creative artists turn lumps of clay into unique works of ceramic art.  These are the brothers Siyabonga Fani and Madoda Fani with their friend Chuma Maweni.