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Award-winning international Curator, Activist Scholar & Coach
WENDY GERS (PhD)
Wendy has over 20 years of experience as a curator and scholar of modern and contemporary ceramics. She has curated major exhibitions on 3 continents including Biennales in China & Taiwan. Her curatorial leadership was celebrated by the City Press’s inclusion of Gers in its list of 100 ‘World-Class South Africans’ (2014).
Gers has authored numerous catalogues, book chapters & scholarly articles, including the landmark monograph on Southern African Potteries, Scorched Earth (2016, Jacana Media, 395 pages). She has delivered over 60 public lectures in more than 20 countries, taught internationally, and was Academic Director of the post-graduate research laboratory, La Céramique Comme Experience (CCE) at ENSA Limoges (2015-2018).
Wendy has served as a member of the Board of Directors of Studio Potter (USA) & was an elected Council Member of the International Academy of Ceramics (Switzerland).
- TestimonialsWhat leading artists are saying about Wendy's leadership & visionary mentoring skills
'I met Wendy Gers at the 2014 Taiwan Ceramic Biennale, as one of the invited artists. In 2015, on her way to the Henan Museum, Wendy visited my studio which was located in a ceramic factory. On my window-sill, she saw some small pieces of industrial honeycomb ceramics that I had carved. Wendy instantly understood the significance and potential of these small tests. She encouraged me to develop them into a large sculptural installation, and the “City & Shanshui” series was then shown in the exhibition she curated in Henan.
From my view, Cont{r}act Earth: First Central China International Ceramics Biennale was the best professional international ceramic exhibition held in mainland China. The exhibition shows Wendy’s ability as a curator to nurture artists to expand their practice. With her professional judgment, insight and communication skills, she is an excellent helper for artists.'
China
'Working with Wendy Gers has been one of the greatest professional gifts & catalysts in my professional practice as a ceramic artist.
As a nurturing curator, she thoughtfully engaged & encouraged me, giving me the freedom & the challenge to develop an entirely new, organic form, culminating in a major body of work. My collaboration with Wendy resulted in a 64 piece-installation for the First Central China International Ceramics Biennale, at the Henan Museum.
She was instrumental in helping me forge this whole new direction, broadening my creativity and international market appeal. I highly recommend Wendy for her professional nous & integrity as a curator, & her personal ability to bring the best out an artist.'
Australia
'The first time I met Wendy Gers was at Jakarta Ceramic Biennale & Conference Indonesia in 2014. She gave a very interesting lecture with rich knowledge about ceramic art & history.
Wendy & I got to know each other when she started to work as the curator on First Central China International Ceramic Biennale 2016. We corresponded about the theme & concept of the exhibition. I submitted 3 of my proposals & she helped to improve them a lot. Finally, I made a perfect ceramic installation for the Biennale.
I experienced her hard-working & professional talent with high knowledge during the whole process of the Biennale. I think these are not only based on her rich expertise & experience about ceramic art but also because of her close communication with good ceramic art society worldwide.
For me, she is one of the best curators & experts of ceramic art & history I have ever met in the world.'
Wan Liya
China
Dragonstone series, 2016
Thanks to Wendy Gers I had the chance to bring a quite unknown new technique into a totally new platform. She had the ability to see potential in this relative unknown material & asked me to come over to China & develop this research into a new level within a local factory. The outcome was a surprising result of Chinese classical forms in combination with a new technique from the Netherlands.
I admire the power of Wendy to put out a statement that she finds important & actually gets it done within China. An environment where it is not easy to make any change.
Thinking about the First Central China Biennale, many international artists & designers greatly respect her work as a curator, mentor & facilitator of new ideas. Wendy is someone who pursues excellence & innovation & can bring out the best of an artist.
The Netherlands
'I first met Wendy Gers when she was planning and formulating her winning proposal for the Taiwan Ceramics Biennale 2014.
Right from the start, I was struck by her well-thought-out vision & ambition for the Biennale. Her scholarly knowledge & intelligent selection of the projects she included made the Biennale a memorable event & it was a great honour to be included.
Since then we have stayed in touch & I have continued to be impressed by her knowledge & passion for the subject & her total dedication & professionalism in whatever she does.'
England
'During my residency for the Taiwan Ceramics Biennale, Wendy encouraged me to create new forms & produce collaborative work with local master Chan, & scale up my works…
She motivated me to develop my drawings as a key aspect of my practice & display them alongside my works as interpreting environments is essential to my process.'
South Africa
Oren Arbel & Noam Tabenkin. First Minimisation, 2018.
'During 2016 we were involved in the unique ‘Postcolonialism?’ exhibition, together with 18 artists from Israel & abroad. During this project we were given the opportunity to be curated by Wendy Gers – an exciting journey that enabled us to develop our innovative ceramic project.
Wendy brought with her an objective & broad perspective to the complex issue of the postcolonial debate in Israel and worldwide. She showed great sensitivity escorting us through the process & enriching it with valuable inputs while, on the other hand, ensuring our independence.'
Oren Arbel & Noam Tabenkin
Israel
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