Calabash of Peace

Inspiration for the pot's design comes from a calabash, which was, and still is, used in many cultures, especially in Africa. The calabash is used to cook, serve or drink from during familial meetings or encounters between people, under the tree of the village, as they work together to solve many matters and problems. In these moments the calabash is used to serve palm wine, which everybody takes turns to drink from the same calabash. The different faces on the calabash represent the peaceful or successful conclusion of a meeting.

● Type: Vessel
● Dimensions: 40 H x 42 W cm
● Material: Clay
● Date: 2021

The pot is built by hand using the coil method whereby clay is rolled to form coils that are placed on top of each other to create the shape. When the work dries to a leather aspect, masks and faces are drawn onto the surface using a knife. Different knives and other tools are used to carve, cut and engrave the details. Once completely dry, the object is fired and either left "naked" with no glaze or glazed with black colour and fired for a second time.

The Artisan: a crafted tea roomExhibition