I was raised in a rural community where farming and cultivating the land formed an essential part of everyday life. It was my grandmother who first introduced me to agriculture, teaching me not only how to work the soil but also how deeply the land sustains identity, memory, and community. Over time, however, I have witnessed a gradual decline in agricultural activity in my home region. Fields that once provided food and livelihoods now lie abandoned, reflecting broader patterns of rural neglect. Each return home reinforces a sense of responsibility to respond to these changes through my ceramic practice.

Xa umhlaba uthetha (When the earth speaks) extends my ongoing exploration of land, labour, and belonging, while shifting attention towards the condition of the earth itself. The title suggests the earth as an active voice—one that communicates through its scars, fractures, textures, and cycles of renewal. It also alludes to contemporary environmental concerns, including drought, soil degradation, and climate change.

Throughout the series, the seed remains my primary motif, symbolising potential, resilience, and regeneration. The standing corn-kernel further references sustenance, growth, and humanity’s dependence on the land.

Materially, the works are characterised by richly textured surfaces, layers of cracking, and textile-like impressions. Through ferric chloride, oxides and clay, I transform the ceramic surface into a metaphorical landscape. Here, the earth is not merely represented; it speaks through the material itself, inviting reflection on our relationship with the land and our responsibility towards its future.