The Ndebele Mining Ceramics Exhibition in Johannesburg: See the Winning Designs

Every year, the Ndebele Mining Ceramics Exhibition begins a rigorous journey to position ceramics as an art form for audiences across South Africa and the world. That enthusiasm is very much evident at this year’s public exhibition, which celebrates 12 local artists for their outstanding work in the field.

The exhibition is free and open to the public at Shepstone Gardens until Sunday, 6 September, with many of the works available for purchase. Here’s what you need to know:

Ndebele Mining Ceramics Exhibition in Johannesburg | What's on in Joburg

The Ndebele Mining Ceramics Exhibition winning designs for 2026

The Gauteng regional open call drew a record 226 entries this year, a first for the showcase. From these, 129 works by 57 artists were selected for the public exhibition, bringing together established ceramicists, emerging artists and those showing their work for the first time.

The initiative honours Eugene Hon with the Strauss & Co Premier Award. The RMB New Signature Award is jointly awarded to Duma Mtimkulu for Interlude No. V and Mpho Shabangu for Mmalengwele – an encouraging result for an award specifically introduced to recognise and support emerging talent.

Other award recipients include Nic Sithole’s Vessel I and John Shirley’s Fluid Syncopation, which receive the Glazecor I and II Awards respectively; Daniel Brand’s Red and the Eruption, recipient of the Van Tuyl Award; Kate Shand’s Reliquary, which received the Potters Supplies & Mail Order Award; and Ane Smal-Smith’s Under the Sun, which received the Zakhele Kilns Award.

Mathiba Molefe-Simelane received the Ndebele One-Tonne Clay Award, while Desmond Roux received the Ndebele Half-Tonne Clay Award. Bevan de Wet, Kyle Carson and Mkhululi Shongwe received Highly Commended honours.

“Ceramics is wonderfully accessible in that way,” says Kevin Collins, National Chairperson of Ceramics Southern Africa. “You can appreciate an extraordinary sculptural work, fall in love with a beautiful bowl you want to take home, or look at something and suddenly think, ‘I would really like to try this myself.’ We want more people to discover that.”