In addition to wanting to see the Gormley installation at Houghton Hall we were also excited see the work of Dame Magdalene Odundo, a highly regarded Kenya-born studio potter, placed throughout the interior of the grand house. Foremost among these works was an ornate jasperware centerpiece, developed in collaboration with Wedgwood, the decoration of which confronts the viewer with the legacy of the slave trade. Magadalene Odundo’s elegant forms and sculptural vessels provided meaningful context to the Gormley installation and the legacy of the storied house.
Dame Odundo
Dame Odundo first came to England in 1971 to study graphic design, later completing her qualifications in foundational art and graphics at the Cambridge School of Art, where she specialized in ceramics. Though England introduced her to pottery, it was her return to Africa in 1974-75 that set the stage for what would be a long and distinguished career working as a potter.
First among these trips during this period was her visit to the Pottery Training center in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja; then a return to Kenya to study traditional pottery techniques. Interestingly, there was also a trip during this time to San Ildefonso Pueblo in New Mexico, where she studied their clay firing methods that result in the iconic black pottery for which they are so well known and that clearly influenced Odundo’s work.
Opposite & following page:
The Jasperware Centerpiece in the
Marble Parlour
All Photos Courtesy of:
WW
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