Gill Zimmermann

Born Cape Town, lives in Zurich.

My ceramics are inspired by both the traditional pottery of South Africa and the Atlantic Ocean with its huge waves which mesmerised me as a child.

I am fascinated by the intense differences between fine porcelain and rough stoneware. My work is characterized by the delicate balance of distinctive layers and textures. This sharp and yet fragile contrast can be seen as a reflection of my background; growing up under the confines of the Apartheid regime, and now a part of the South African diaspora.

Through my practice I embrace the meditative effect of the very slow process of making a vessel, and the outcome. All the shapes are the product of my intuitive approach to the materials, rather than logic and deliberate preconceived forms.

The use of porcelain and stoneware clays together often results in the appearance of fine cracks. They are embraced as part of the nature of the sculpture or are repaired with a simple Kintsugi technique. Recently I have added colourful underglazes to the insides of each vessel, another reminder of the wonderful bright colours of Africa