Hylton Nel: a real extension of one’s life
Unfortunately, Hylton Nel exhibitions are few and far between in the UK. You might have been lucky enough to see one of his shows at The Fine Art Society or some of his work featured in Oxford Ceramics Gallery’s Graphic Pots show last year, or you might even live in his native South Africa, close enough to Stevenson Gallery in Cape Town, to have had the pleasure of encountering them there. Pictures don’t quite translate fully that Nel’s creations are objects that you have to spend time with, their surfaces often covered in his handwriting, spelling out complex short stories that contain all the narrative that other artists might try to depict in a single image. The spacing of the text is like the stories themselves: spontaneous and with a pervasive sense of stream of consciousness and an almost dismissive idea of graphic design or pre-planning.
“… the sense that we get of Nel’s world is of something intensely private, built from his own sensual engagement with life and love…”1
Nel revels in his ability to shock, entertain and subvert – making objects that are confrontational, graphic, playful and fun, using seemingly innocent and carefree animals as his vehicle to disarm the viewer. Nel is at his playful best when he uses line drawing instead of text. His drawings are frequently very graphic, with a conscious confrontation of the viewer – whether that is through graphic nudity or religious imagery or subversive cats:
“Instead of being blatant and making people, I do these cats. They are also a shape that has been used as an ornament for a long time. From another perspective, being gay is a sort of minority position, and so another reason why I make cats is to try and fit into the world because such ornaments seem like regular things.”2
Nel’s work is satirical, sensuous and tactile. His idiosyncratic ceramics include plates and bowls (formed over a mould) and vases (which he admits often leak) decorated with line drawings illustrating his witty sense of humour. They range from the playful sexual imagery of the male nude form, to motifs of cats and mermaids, to religious references to Adam and Eve and to the Madonna and child.
“… invariably we are only seeing an aspect, a layer, a consideration of the piece that Nel is seeing. One becomes very aware of this whenever new works arrive at the gallery, and we call him to share our thoughts and hear his, and one ends the conversation amused and in awe of his descriptions of the works…”3
The only ornamental pieces Nel makes are his cats, which reference his feelings on the single day in which each work is typically created. One cat sporting papal shoes dates to the time of election of Pope Francis; others feature cryptic rude words and coy, flirtatious looks in their eyes.
“… I don’t think of it in terms of art which you put on some sort of pedestal and label it. At the time of making and while it’s with me it is just a real extension of one’s life…”4
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1 – Tamar Garb; Hylton Nel: A Prayer for Good Governance; 1996; The Fine Art Society
2 – Hylton Nel; For Use and Display; 2017; The Fine Art Society
3 – Michael Stevenson; For Use and Display; 2017; The Fine Art Society
4 – Hylton Nel; Hylton Nel: Conversations; 2003; Michael Stevenson Contemporary and The Fine Art Society
Edited by Sarah McGill
Hylton Nel; Lente in Calitzdorp bowl 2 @ Oxford Ceramics Gallery; 2019; photo by Nick Duxbury
Hylton Nel; Cape of Good Hope, 13th November 1657... @ Oxford Ceramics Gallery; 2019; phot by Nick Duxbury
Hylton Nel; Queer Life Style from Hylton Nel: For Use And Display @ Fine Art Society; 2013; photo by Mario Todeschini