Born 1981 in Umtata in the Eastern Cape, Sesing Frank Nthunya-Morai is a South African ceramist creating hand-built coiled vessels. Nthunya - Morai studied at Khathu College (FET) in the Northern Cape before relocating to KwaZulu-Natal in 1999 where he was introduced to traditional african techniques and ceramic constructions. Between 2008 and 2009 Nthunya-Morai was a resident at the BAT Centre in Durban where he immersed himself in the study and contemporisation of traditional Zulu hand-built pottery techniques.

Nthunya-Morai draws inspiration from ancient African practices, particularly those originating from Nigeria, South Africa, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe. Each of Nthunya-Morai’s pieces undergoes a process of extensive burnishing followed by firings in a kiln and a smoke pit.

Noted for his exceptional craftsmanship, Nthunya-Morai has been recognised at the KZN Regional Ceramics Southern Africa Awards. His work can be found the permanent collections of the IZIKO South African National Gallery, Cape Town and The Pretoria Art Museum, Pretoria. Nthunya-Morai currently resides in Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2024
'Mpho ya Badimo', EBONY/CURATED, Franschhoek, South Africa

GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2024
'Inaugural SA Clay Awards Exhibition', Rust-en-Vrede Gallery, in collaboration with the Clay Museum, Cape Town, South Africa
RMB Latitudes Art Fair, EBONY/CURATED, Johannesburg, South Africa
‘Compressing Materiality’, EBONY/CURATED, Franschhoek, South Africa
‘A Pallette of Possibilities’, The Gallery, Ballitoville, South Africa
‘Perspective’, The Gallery, Ballitoville, South Africa

2020
‘Re-Imagined Clay’, EBONY/CURATED, Franschhoek, South Africa

2016
'Echoes In Clay’, KZNSA Gallery, Durban, South Africa
Regional Exhibition, Ceramics Southern Africa, KZNSA Gallery, Durban, South Africa
National Exhibition, Ceramics Southern Africa, Iziko Museum, Cape Town, South Africa

COLLECTIONS
Corobrik Collection, Pretoria Art Museum, Pretoria, South Africa
Iziko Museum, Cape Town, South Africa
Clay Museum, Rust en Vrede Gallery, Durbanville, South Africa