A Safari for the Soul-Exhibition Highlights

A Safari for the Soul is a journey of the imagination through the wild and wonderful world of Ardmore Ceramic Art. This is your opportunity to own a one-of-a-kind masterpiece from the selling exhibition at WMODA presented by the Pascoe Gallery. Imagine yourself riding one of Ardmore’s exotic animals through the magnificent mountains and grassy savannas of South Africa to the bustling studio in KwaZulu Natal.

You can appreciate the superb sculpting and painting skills of the Ardmore artists and experience the wit and whimsy of their observations of nature. Choose from over 100 works of art by the leading artists, such as the senior painter Punch Shabalala, who has worked at the studio for over 30 years, and sculptor Alex Sibanda who introduced the Travelers of Africa series. Look out for the elegant hand-built sculptures of Qiniso Mungwe and the naturalistic paintings of Mickey Chonco. Enjoy the flights of fancy of Betty Ntshingila. As one of the few female sculptors at Ardmore, she is a rare bird in a man’s world.

The Great Herds

Herds of zebra and antelope make their way to waterholes and good grazing, their hooves drumming on the dusty plains. Hungry crocodiles lie in wait for them in the rivers and aggressive hippos jealously guard their territory. It is hard to imagine that the hippopotamus is the world’s deadliest land mammal when you see Ardmore’s smiling creatures.

Gentle Giants

Elephants lumber through the savanna grasslands and rhinos browse in the thickets. Many of these giants of the animal kingdom are endangered, notably African elephants and white rhinos which are hunted for their ivory. The Pangolin is the most illegally trafficked animal, poached for its scales which are still used in traditional Asian medicine.

Fierce & Fragile

Watch out for the big cats, the top predators of the savanna. The lion symbolizes power and strength and they prey on grazing animals like zebras. The cheetah is the fastest land animal and relies on great bursts of speed to hunt. The leopard is considered to be the king of the cats by the Zulu people and it represents nobility, courage, and honor. Despite their status, many of the wild cats are endangered, due to illegal wildlife trafficking and habitat loss. Read more about these Fierce & Fragile creatures.

Monkey Business

Inquisitive monkeys come down from the hills around Ardmore looking for food. They entertain everyone with their antics outside the studio. In the Ardmore artist’s imagination, they wear clothes and play musical instruments, just like their ancestors from the famous monkey band at the Meissen factory. The mischievous monkey has become an Ardmore icon and even wears a face mask in lockdown.

Flights of Fancy

Birdwatchers will be in paradise at the flights of fancy of the Ardmore artists. Fabulous flamingos, which breed in Africa and the Caribbean, are depicted on monumental vases. The flamingo represented Ra, the god of the sun In ancient Egypt. The Hoopoe was also sacred to the Egyptians and the Greeks regarded it as the ruler of the avian kingdom with its striking crest. The Hoopoe was chosen as the national bird of Israel in 2008.

Dead as a Dodo

Don’t let all these beautiful animals become as dead as the dodo! The extinct flightless bird was endemic to the island of Mauritius in the Indian ocean. It was hunted by Dutch sailors and the invasive animals they brought ashore. The dodo became extinct during the 17th century and is now a symbol of obsolescence. The most familiar image of the dodo is Tenniel’s illustration in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, where the dodo represents the author Reverend Dodgson, also known as Lewis Carroll.

How to buy at WMODA

Visit WMODA from Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm or call the museum for details about how to purchase your own piece of Ardmore. Each work of art is unique and will be removed from the exhibition when sold. A new piece will replace it making this an ever-changing show. Smaller pieces will be packed for hand-transportation. The Pascoe Gallery will make all the arrangements for packing and shipping or personal delivery of large pieces. All sales benefit WMODA a non-profit 501c3 museum.