Andre Hess

Andre Hess was born in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1961 and has been working in the UK since 1991. He initially trained as a veterinary surgeon at the University of Pretoria, qualifying in 1985, before beginning his ceramics training in 1986 under David May and Birgit Schrumpf. He later studied Art History with the Open University, graduating with First Class Honours.

Andre’s work explores abstract forms and the relationship between clay, making and meaning. His practice is rooted in personal history, including his experience of growing up under Apartheid, when access to nature and the landscape was restricted according to race. His relationship with nature, memory and wilderness continues to inform his work, connecting story and ethics with the aesthetic.