Artist John Bauer is telling South Africans’ stories one delight-evoking, matchbox-sized tile at a time. From bringing museum pieces to life on the tiny tiles so people can touch the art to involving onlookers in the process of creation, John’s work continues to cook up creativity:
Cape Town, South Africa (11 June 2024) — If art is a means of storytelling, celebrated ceramic artist John Bauer’s creations are unfolding tales, beginning with matchbox-sized tiles. In his process (not unlike life) the beginning, middle and end are often not certain until after the fact, and the puzzle that becomes the final installation is often as much as a surprise to the artist as anyone else’s.
John’s art is dedicated to telling stories in this unique way; evoking delight, curiosity and involvement from onlookers. What begins as a small part of the story in the form of a customised tile (sometimes ceramic and sometimes porcelain) part of a specific theme or idea important to whoever he is making the art for, soon becomes a larger work. The bigger, beautiful picture.
For the People
But what fun would a story be if only one person were to tell it? For John, involving onlookers in the process of creation is another way to tell a bigger story. Those who visited his Living Installation at Decorex Cape Town were met with the opportunity to choose whichever tile they pleased and place it wherever they wanted to—ultimately playing their hand in the overall installation.
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Getting people to interact with the art is something John has done in other ways too; most notably through his People’s Museums which recently won the South African National Premiere Ceramic Award.
John began creating these museums so that the public could enjoy an artistic experience that doesn’t only rely on the eyes. In this way, his matchbox-sized tiles capture an artefact or image found in a museum where they are then combined with textures and images of everyday objects.
“The People’s Museum celebrate objects of the people, condensing down the essence of everything in our life, trawling thrift stores and junk shops for textures that speak directly to our hearts,” says John.
The pieces then become accessible in public places like coffee shops—bringing the art to the places we frequent most.
The People’s Museums are part of a virtual walking route that travels from Montebello to Bree Street and eventually onto Kommetjie!
Why Tiles?
“At age 6 we moved after the death of my mother and grandmother by a drunk driver,” John shares. “I recall a peculiar feeling, standing barefoot at the steam at the bottom of my garden and seeing a fragment of porcelain. This shard, or dare say sherd, showed me that someone dead from another country could speak with me at that moment.
“I also wanted to create delight for a 6-year-old in a steam one or two more centuries from now. Today, I tile facades across our City, to delight the streams of people walking along our streets.” – John Bauer.
You can visit more of John’s work here, and visit his Exhibition of Completed Works from 14-21 June at the Life & Death Gallery, Old Biscuit Mill, Woodstock.
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