Idlala

Idladla (meaning ‘grain silo’) is a study and exploration of scope, scale and texture. Gently rounded terracotta forms, marked with precise incisions, hand imprints and motifs, follow a strong architectural impulse inspired by the parallels Andile Dyalvane found in structures as distant from each other as upstate New York and Mali.

An evolution of the angular vessels of his previous show, the works capture Dyalvane’s visceral vernacular and continual experimentation. The collection pivots around the central role that maize cultivation plays in rural African life: no homestead is considered complete without a structure to store grain. The cyclical, life-sustaining practices of land cultivation are an embodiment of collective effort and restorative spirituality.

But Idladla is also part of an ongoing and much broader project for Dyalvane: the preservation of his language, identity, and cultural traditions. Idladla is a ‘reminder of what we’ve lost but also of what can still be saved,’ he says.