Later, she chose to turn her potters touch to glass objects, and her works of glass in the UK and US have drawn wide acclaim from art enthusiasts. Magdalene Odundo Kenyan, b. A mixture of clay and water mixed together to the consistency of single cream. How did you choose the objects?They are works I had seen that made me want to find out more about the artist, or coincided with what I was working on. Magdalene A. N. Odundo DBE. Slip can also be trailed, sponged, stencilled, poured and painted onto the pot; and for binding clay surfaces and casting. She studied graphics and commercial art at Nairobi Polytechnic, one of the first higher education institutions in East Africa. New Yorks Metropolitan Museum of Art described her objects as seeming simultaneously familiar and novel. Her designs for the Youth Festival were reproduced and seen all around Nairobi. Odundo DBE's new exhibition at New York's Salon 94 gallery are born of patience. Ceramicist. So the idea of honey and milk being extracted were combined in a single piece, which I just remembered when Cecilia [Alemani, the curator] talked to me about the title. Then the way the Gwari people make the work is also very much like a dance, because the material, the clay, is static, its on a base and they walk around it. She travelled back home and spent time in Western Kenya to learn more about pottery traditions, and later she took up the offer in l973. Moreover, at that time, Bernard Leach, Michael Cardew, and their school of artists were making contemporary works employing the simple lines of English slipware that had first attracted Odundo to the medium. Courtesy of the Baltimore Museum of Art: Hyland P. Stewart Bequest Fund, BMA 2012.66, Michael McKelvey. Studying hand-building methods in Kenya and Nigeria, she became aware of similar techniques being utilized in other cultural centers around the world. 1. These influences were especially evident in The Journey of Things, a landmark exhibition curated by Odundo in 2019 at the The Hepworth Wakefield and Sainsbury Centre, Norwich, which brought together more than 50 of her works alongside historic and contemporary objects. I mean, look at Grayson Perry. Magdalene Odundo | The Montgomery Fellows First, between 1976 and 1979, she lectured at the London Commonwealth Institute. Courtesy of Thomas Dane Gallery. Museums have always inspired her work, she tells Apollo. Magdalene Odundo's understated, anthropomorphic ceramic vases speak to a layered understanding of the ceramic arts, following in a long tradition of associating women's bodies with architecture or vessels. She has participated in numerous similar visits all over the country and she has cultivated numerous relationships during similar experiences. A lot of people from other mediums are now working in clay. You are always discovering something new to add to the work. Why has clay remained your primary medium? Although the Catholic schools offered art on a limited basis, she excelled as an art student from a young age and was encouraged by her teachers. In 2022 is a world famous ceramic artist and Chancellor of the University of the Creative Arts. She also won art contests for the Esso Calendar (an annual contest sponsored by the Standard Oil Co. for its promotional calendars) and for a government-sponsored poster about blood donation. Her distinctive, burnished vessels are informed by a range of art and craft traditions from around the world. Another impactful experience was her exposure to the making of the typical polished blackware by potters of the San Ildefonso Pueblo in New Mexico. Also, Magdalene has been known to mix in a bit of slip clay when fashioning her pottery. Her graphic design skills still remain with her as she often sketches her interest in natural forms and the design of form to help her with her ceramic creations.Many of the vessels she creates are reminiscent of the human form, often following the curves of the spine, stomach, or hair. Magdalene Anyango Namakhiya Odundo, OBE (born 1950) is a Kenyan-born British studio potter. Watch a trailer for The Journey of Things. Odundo fell in love with the material, and, with Ellisons encouragement, in 1973 she transferred to West Surrey College of Art & Design at Farnham, where she could focus on clay. Magdalene Odundo is represented by Anthony Slayter-Ralph gallery. She has been firing the bulbous vessels . Tony Cragg has used clay for a long time, and his work is very object-oriented. They are regarded as 3-dimensional works of art and have been likened to works by Jean Arp, Constantine Brncusi, etc. I dont think they had critically assessed the work to find out a little bit more about where it came from. Shes in charge of all content and editing. PHOTO | COURTESY | AFRICAN HERITAGE. [Skip to quick links] Magdalene Odundo started her career in advertising in Kenya before discovering her calling as a ceramicist, when she began studying art and design after moving to the UK. Odundo's early travelling experiences led to a strong interest in other cultures. Magdalene Odundo: 'Of all mediums, clay is the most versatile, pliable In it, Adamsneck craning, arms windmilling,. Beyond the sensuality and emotions behind her creations, one cant help but marvel at the intricate technique she uses. Magdalene Odundo working in her studio, Farnham, UK, 2016. 6 Art Minute: Magdalene Odundo, "Untitled", "Magdalene Odundo review that pot's got my nose! Check out whats on view and whats coming soon at The Clay Studio. [2][3][4][5], She has been Chancellor of the University for the Creative Arts since 2018. Making pots tends to take place later in the day, a routine developed when I was looking after my son and teaching, and then finding time in the studio. Sculptures can also be described as assemblage, in the round, relief, and made in a huge variety of media. What Kind of Clay Has Magdalene Odundo Used? Cardew encouraged Odundo to go to Abuja and spend time learning from Ladi Kwali and the other potters at the center. Odundos work has been shown in many additional exhibitions, including more than 20 solo exhibitions, but this exhibition is her first solo show at a major art museum in the United States, heralding a new level of acclaim for her work. As in Abuja, Odundo observed highly skilled women creating handbuilt pots using methods that echoed the long history of their culture. Artist Magdalene Odundo - The Hepworth Wakefield She is the most famous artist from Kenya who was recently given and OBE by the Queen of England and is now Lady Magdalene Odundo. Magdalene Odundo is known for her studio pottery. One of Odundo's acclaimed vessels. Magdalene Odundo was born in Nairobi in 1950. She obtained the necessary qualifications from the Cambridge School of Arts. A masterful artist, Magdalene Odundo understands both the power of an image to communicate an idea and the capacity of an object like a ceramic pot to convey information about culture. Born in Kenya, where she was initially trained as a graphic artist, Odundo began experimenting with clay and other materials after moving to London at age 21. Conversation. She taught at the Commonwealth Institute in London from 1976 to 1979 and at the Royal College of Art in London from 1979 to 1982. It was the ceramics that caught my eye becauseI suddenly realised that I really liked objects, she says Courtesy of Thomas Dane Gallery. Her pieces are Read more Now the same Asymmetrical Reduced Black Piece (1992) in . From 8am its breakfast, then its to my desk, where I change radio stations to Jazz FM, Magic Soul or something lighter, and clear paperwork, answer calls. This exhibition is titled 'Magdalene Odundo: The Journey of Things'. From the pinch of a nose to the elongated slant of a neck, Magdalene Odundos ceramics are on the verge of coming to life. Odundos art brings us together by reminding us of our shared humanity. With half-day and full-day programs throughout the summer, kids ages 6 and up can explore the exciting world of clay. PHOTO | COURTESY. Exhibitions, residencies, and teaching positions followed. The unglazed masterpieces done by the hands of this gifted Kenyan-born ceramics expert are simply marvelous. Magdalene Odundo working in her studio, Farnham, UK, 2016. Magdalene Odundo (b.1950 in Nairobi, Kenya) is one of the worlds most esteemed ceramic artists. Eduardo Paolozzi, (1924 2005) was a teacher who, as a professor of sculpture and ceramics, encouraged her not to see divisions between artistic disciplines. As a reader-supported site we sometimes earn commissions when referring to stores. Of the ten works on view, some waited as long as five years to enter Odundo's brand new kiln at her studio in Farnham, Surrey. Born in Kenya, where she was initially trained as a graphic artist, Odundo began experimenting with clay and other materials after moving to London at age 21. Now artists of all ages and inclinations are using clay for myriad purposes and hailing you as a major pioneer in the dissolving of these fine/applied art demarcations. Magdalene Odundo and Jennifer Zwilling in conversation at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, April 8, 2017. Community engagement it's about being a good neighbor, but also a strong neighbor. Her initial attraction to ceramics was based on the material itself, as well as an interest in English slipware. Having focused on commercial and graphic arts up to that point, the emphasis on line, message, and simple imagery employed in the slipware tradition appealed to her graphic sensibility. We use cookies on this website to improve how it works and how its used. Magdalene Odundo, Symmetrical Series III, 2009. There is nothing wrong in making craft; I actually think its a very apt word for making, but its not helpful when it classifies certain work as not being of equal status to art. Magdalene Odundo, Symmetrical Multi-Fired Terra Cotta Vessel, 2017, multi-fired terra cotta, 24.85 x 13.5 in. She taught at the Commonwealth Institute in London from 1976 to 1979 and at the Royal College of Art in London from 1979 to 1982, before returning to teach at Surrey Institute of Art & Design (now University for the Creative Arts) in 1997, becoming Professor of Ceramics in 2001. The Art Newspaper: You are really covering all the art-world bases this year. She traveled back to Africa in 197475, first to Nigeria and then to her native Kenya, to study millennia-old hand-building and low-fire firing techniques. Upcoming events including free Hands on Clay, Clay Fest, artist talks, and more. In 1976, Magdalene obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree from the then College of Art & Design in West Surrey. 27/09 > 27/11. The Clay Studio believes that creativity helps empower people, who in turn empower their community. I came out thinking: this work could be by an African artist, or by somebody who wasnt western. Sculptor and ceramicist, Magdalene Odundo, was born in Kenya and educated in India, Kenya and the Royal College of Art in the UK. Philadelphia, PA 19122. The name was changed in 1958 and the focus shifted to show the people of England how the rest of the Commonwealth lives. Commonwealth Institute: A commemorative handbook issued on the occasion of the opening of the new Institute. [6], Magdalene Odundo was born in Nairobi, Kenya, and received her early education in both India and Kenya. - In 2011 she was appointed a Patron & Trustee of the National Society for Education of Art & Design, NSEAD. by Dr. Peri Klemm and Dr. Steven Zucker. She honed her technical skills and expanded her networks. Magdalene Odundo and Son Marimba. She has always been active, teaching workshops, lecturing, and serving as visiting artist, as she did at the Clay Studio in 1992 and again this year. She attended the Nairobi Polytechnic in Kenya to study Graphics and Commercial Art and moved to England in 1971 follow her chosen vocation in Graphic Design and completed qualifications in foundation art and graphics at the Cambridge College of Art.After a while in England she discovered pottery and in 1974-1975, she visited Nigeria and Kenya to study traditional hand-built pottery techniques. And also being able to do what I always wanted to do, which was to reach a position or level where the art was being critically looked at in its own right, both within a particular moment, which is contemporary, but also with the recognition that the work is positioned within a historical perspective as well. Then there are also the classical Greco-Roman pieces that allow depiction, you can draw on them and tell a story. The Kenyan-born British ceramicist on hand-building pots and whether craft is a bad word. She went on to teach at the Commonwealth Institute in London and the Royal College of Art. Although her origins are in Western Kenya, renowned for its pottery traditions, it was her exposure to pottery traditions in Nigeria and many other parts of the world where she studied the ways women produced handmade pots and traditional kiln firing dating back thousands of years, that moulded her style. Magdalene Odundo, Symmetrical Multi-Fired Terra Cotta Vessel, 2015, multi-fired terra cotta, 19.1 x 10.6 in. Explore all events: Date Nights, exhibition openings, workshops, and more. For her dissertation at Farnham she had revisited Uganda to research ceramic techniques. Do you think the art world takes ceramics seriously?I think its beginning to do so. "It was the ceramics. She then earned a master's degree at the Royal College of Art in London. This comprehension forms the basis of the body of work she has been developing since the late 1970s. Eduardo and his contemporaries had been looking at what was so-called primitive art and abstracting ideas from Africa, Oceania, the Pacific. It was very challenging for me, because he was being so complacent and had such assumptions of how I was thinking. She arrived in London in l971 and studied print making and metal work, which she enjoyed tremendously. rom the pinch of a nose to the elongated slant of a neck. Her study of Greek, Chinese, Aztec, and African forms have allowed her to find the simple, yet powerful shapes common to them all. The show, curated artfully by Carol Thompson, the museums curator of African art, illustrates much of what we have discussed here. This was the defining moment in a career that was to span more than four decades. She will be using our Harrison Gallery as her studio during the month of March and continuing to work in a private studio at The Clay Studio in April. Involved with potterymaking there since the early 1940s, he had established three potteries, culminating in the Abuja Pottery Training Centre. Three years at RCA were well spent, as became clear when Odundo installed her final senior exhibition. Odundo is among the few ceramic artists in the world whose name is widely recognized within and beyond the ceramics world, her name is synonymous with great works of art, dedication to teaching the next generation and the ability to connect cultures from around the world. While in England, she pursued her Graphic Design career and made a name for herself. Magdalene Odundo's career and life trajectories contain several seemingly paradoxical elements that she has been able to integrate skillfully into strengths; these include her Kenyan heritage, art education in ceramics within the context of British studio pottery, and international exhibition history in both fine art and design . Magdalene Odundo DBE is a contemporary potter whose handmade, meticulously burnished vessels evoke the human form and draw upon a variety of artistic traditions. The ceramic artist Magdalene Odundo is firmly in the spotlight this year, as Magdalene Odundo: The Journey of Things opens at Hepworth Wakefield in February then travels to The Sainsbury Centre, Norwich, in the autumn. In 2008 she received the African Art Recognition Award from the Detroit Art Institute and in 2012 the African Heritage 40 Years Anniversary Award. The Many Sources of Inspiration in Magdalene Odundo's 'The - Frieze Throughout her life, Magdalene Odundo has been hungry for knowledge about what separates us gender, politics, imperialism as well as what unites us art, beauty, nature, the human form. Dame Magdalene Anyango Namakhiya Odundo DBE (born 1950) is a Kenyan-born British studio potter, who now lives in Farnham, Surrey. Above our gallery and shop is a lively atelier of Associate Artists, Work Exchange Artists, Student and Staff Artists a welcoming family of makers and mentors. She also visited her homeland, Kenya, and garnered a lot of knowledge. Hi, Im Francesca Torres. She was impressed with the incredible talent of the women artists, and she credits her time there with a subsequent increase in the range of her handbuilding and throwing skills. She gave tours of the costume collection and organized festivals that examined world cultures through material culture. Courtesy: the artist and the Hepworth Wakefield. Dame Magdalene Anyango Namakhiya Odundo DBE (born 1950) is a Kenyan -born British studio potter, who now lives in Farnham, Surrey. And I began to think about advertising and how it was based on material possessions, and who in Africa could afford all these things? Variations in the voluptuous body are expressed in the profile, gesture of . But I would suggest that if someone is interested in seeing ceramics, they should visit the art school degree shows around the country. April 4, 2017, Philadelphia. In 2008 she was awarded an OBE for services to Art, and she became the Chancellor of the University for the Creative Arts in June 2018. In East Africa where I come from, a person, especially a very prominent person, was buried sitting in a chamber surrounded by a whole lot of different vessels made out of clay for him to be able to feed himself. Later, encouraged by one of the worlds leading potters, Michael Cardew, who introduced her to Nigerian pottery, Odundo took a trip to Nigeria in the summer of 1974 where she worked with potters in Abuja, at a thriving stoneware centre producing pottery in a wooden kiln, based on the Nigerian Gwari pottery traditions. I feel so honoured to have young artists quote mefor me its like a job done. The Gwari dont work with small rolls of sausage clay, they literally carve the clay out, make the vessel, and then later on when the piece is maybe a foot and a half tall, they just gouge a piece of clay and roll with a little bit in their hand. Youve made the analogy of the vessel with the human body. In 2008 she was appointed Office of the Order of the British Empire in the Queens Birthday Honours List for services to the Arts. Odundo feels privileged to have entered the field during this rich time. Magdalene Odundo | Artnet You grew up in Kenya and then came to the UK in 1971 to study graphic and commercial artwhat inspired you to turn to ceramics? Body Vessel Clay: Black Women, Ceramics and Contemporary Art. [13] Her graphic design skills still remain with her as she often sketches her interest in natural forms and the design of form to help her with her ceramic creations. And in both 2010 and 2013, her work broke auction sales records for works by a living British ceramic artist. Magdalene Odundo, Asymmetrical Betu I, 2010, ceramic, 22 7/16 x 11 x 8 1/4 in. The printmaking department was very goodand I still like to make prints and photographsbut it was the ceramics that caught my eye because I suddenly realised that I really liked objects. In San Ildefonso Pueblo, New Mexico, Odundo found blackware vessels. While the relationship to the human body is the most fundamental reference in her work, Odundos forms are informed by a diverse range of influences: British studio pottery, traditional ceremonial vessels from Kenya and Nigeria, wood carving from the Congo, ancient ceramics from Cyprus, Japan and Peru, modernist sculpture, and Elizabethan costume, among many others. When she had completed her training, she decided to focus on the specification of ceramics. One of Odundos clay vessels is on display at the Nairobi Gallery. As each piece rises, it is sculpted individually to create the distinctive silhouettes. The exhibition's design is an unusually prominent feature of the show. Without that icing, the cake isn't perfect. Spiritually as well, throughout history people have used the vessel as a conduit, a piece that allows communities to get together and to serve as well as to be served from it. Magdalene Odundo, Symmetrical Teardrop Series, Terra Cotta Vessel, 2016, terra cotta, 20.75 x 10.25 in. Arsenale. Our classes are taught by top practitioners. In 2001, she was appointed professor of ceramics at her undergraduate alma mater, now the Surrey Institute of Art & Design, University College. You feel the clay through your body and your hands, particularly with hand building. This early encounter with cultural multiplicity affected her perspective on culture as she moved into the world of visual language in the arts. In 2019 she received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the International Ceramics Festival and in 2020 was appointed DBE in the Queens New Years Honours list for Services to the Arts and Arts Education. Odundo (second right), at the ceremony in 2012 where she was awarded the African Heritage Lifetime Achievement Award in Art. She chose handbuilding as her construction technique because of its tradition as African womens work, and the universality of her formal language is deepened by her study of classical forms from the ancient cultures of Greece, China, South America, and Africa. They hoped she would return with skills from an education abroad. Magdalene Odundo, Multi-Fired Gango Series Vessel, 2013, multi-fired terra cotta, 20.8 x 8.7 in. For me its just important that they shimmer and they dance and rub shoulders with all these others. Through her elegant forms, Odundo synthesizes the material culture she has studied in Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe. From spout to thin, long necks to delicately rounded bottoms, Odundos creations have been described as awe-inspiring and symbolic. She was born in Nairobi and received her early education in both India and Kenya. However, to view Magdalene Odundo's vessels solely in terms of their link to Sub-Saharan African pottery, would be dismissive of the wide range of influences which she draws on. Biennale Arte 2022 | Magdalene Odundo [19] She was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to art in the 2008 Birthday Honours[20] and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to art and arts education. 6. During that time, she visited the Abuja Pottery Training Centre, Nigeria. As observed by Augustus Casely-Hayford, "[She draws] on something of the wisdom and experience of the Leach, or a line borrowed from ancient European antiquity, to create a trans-global, trans-temporal visual system of her own; modern, yet simultaneously old, African yet resolutely European"[5], In 2017 it was announced that Odundo would take up the role of Chancellor of the University for the Creative Arts from June 2018.[22]. 7. Her first solo art exhibition was in 2006, at the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art of the University of Florida. While she was in Abuja, she learned some techniques used in the fine art of handmade potteries. Had I not made that journey, my migration to another artistic discipline may . After all, the Bible says that God took clay and used it to form man. What follows is an account of Odundos impact on one portion of that world the Clay Studio in Philadelphia. At the time, African art was very popular, in the sense that western artists had been very much influenced by the abstract aspect of the work. Finally, she settled as a lecturer at the University for Creative Arts (formerly the Surrey Institute of Art and Design).