'Release Mandela!' mug

Auckland potter Peter Lange bought 300 cheap plain mugs, got the ceramic transfers printed, and fired the image on to the mugs. The image was given to Lange probably by a member of HART (Halt All Racist Tours). The mugs were sold to raise money for protest funds for the anti-Springbok Tour movement. This particular mug was used by John Minto, who was the National Organiser for HART during the Springbok Rugby Tour of 1981.

Why did Lange go to so much trouble over a mug? The other side of the mug features this statement from 1983: 'Mathews Ntshiwa, a black South African factory worker, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for having the words 'Release Nelson Mandela' inscribed on his mug. Free Nelson Mandela And All South African And Namibian Political Prisoners!'

Artists Against Apartheid

During the Springbok Tour of 1981, Lange and other craftspeople and artists established a group called AAA - Artists Against Apartheid. They met at Lange's pottery shop 'The Potter's Arms' in Mt Eden near Eden Park. They were 'dedicated to making the protests less ugly, more creative, but still effective' (Lange 2015).

In quieter times, Peter Lange was known for his domestic ware, and was a member of the Potters Arms Cooperative.