Catalogue

Viola Greyling is a ceramic artist based in Pretoria, South Africa. Shegraduated cum laude with a National Diploma (2018) and BTech (2019) in Fine and Applied Art from Tshwane University of Technology, andcompleted a Master’s in Fine Art at the University of Pretoria in 2023. In2020, she was selected as one of the Design Indaba Emerging Creatives.

 

Greyling’s practice is grounded in the exploration of identity, memory, and
belonging, particularly in the context of migration. Having moved abroad as a child with her family, and returning years later with part of that family
absent, she experienced a profound sense of dislocation. After completing school in 2014, she spent time abroad again, further navigating the complexities of home, identity, and belonging.

Now back in South Africa, Greyling draws on her surroundings to create
ceramic works that act as vessels of memory, both personal and collective. She is particularly drawn to seeds, earth, and protective spaces such as caves, using these elements to anchor fleeting moments and emotional landscapes. Her work continues to trace the evolving processes of home, displacement, and transformation.