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Lost wax is a technique of producing metal objects that dates back thousands of years and is a skill used by artisans in different cultures around the world. The technique has been used in West Africa for centuries contributing to the creation of elaborate bronze, gold, and brass objects for royalty and ceremonial occasions. Inspired by this rich heritage Maison Intègre pays homage to the ancestral heritage of bronze lost wax techniques in Burkina Faso.
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The golden sandy beaches Durban, South Africa and orangy desert vistas of Muscat, Oman provide the inspiration for a collection of furniture by Bofred. BASK merges the evocative emotions that emerge from both places. The Bofred signature linear style translates across a complementary collection of chairs, tables, and lighting.
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Lambert Shumbusho is a designer/artist who transforms pieces of discarded, damaged and found hardwoods into functional works of art. Having cultivated a modern organic design style Lambert lets the unique characteristic of the wood dictate what it will become, working with the splits, holes, cracks, and natural textures to reveal the inner beauty of each piece.
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Mid-Century Modern meets African print and traditional textiles in the furniture and interior accessories collections by Workshop Nairobi. A social enterprise based in Kenya’s bustling capital city Workshop Nairobi was founded in 2015 with a mission to contribute to the country’s furniture industry by connecting local artisans and furniture manufacturers and giving them the means to design, develop and craft their products.
Read More![Chair [iii] Sculpture by Nigerian American artist Dozie Kanu](https://i0.wp.com/www.atelier55design.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Dozie_Kanu_Chair-iii_2018_0.jpg?fit=406%2C609&quality=99&ssl=1)
Dozie Kanu is a Nigerian-American artist and designer who practice intersects art and design. The son of Nigerian immigrant parents Dozie was born in the US, and currently lives and works in Portugal and New York City. These multi-cultural experiences inform his creative expression and the stories he tells through the object he creates. His inspirations draw on the streets and environment where he grew up in Texas, and the traditions of African craftsmanship.
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Earthy and organic describe the interiors of a private home in Waterberg, South Africa. Waterberg is located in the Limpopo Province and is home to nature and game reserves offering some of the best safari experiences and vistas in the country. It was here that a young family chose to create a secluded bush retreat that would be a showcase for the very best in South African design.
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Furniture and product designer Thabisa Mjo has teamed up with Houtlander and master weaver Beauty Ngxongo to create the Hlabisa Bench. A striking object showcasing the best of South African design, craftsmanship, and technique that has become an instant classic. The collaboration came about when the curator of Revelations, a biennale Fine Craft and Creation Fair in Paris, invited Thabisa to participate in the 2019 event.
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Tucked away in Harare’s Miombo Woodland you will find Mutapo, a ceramic studio producing one-of-a-kind collectable crockery. Owned by Zimbabwean ceramicist, Marjorie Wallace, Mutapo has gained international recognition for its intricately decorated porcelain ceramics often coloured with the studio’s signature blue and white glaze. The patterns adorning each product are inspired by the patterns found in Africa’s basket weaving traditions. Marjorie’s love for baskets stems from childhood and her memories of being surrounded by baskets.
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The stool is an African design classic, an iconic example of Africa’s woodcarving traditions. Its iconic shape has, and continues to inspire designers the world over who are drawn to the simplicity of the form. Stools were created for personal, and ceremonial use, whereby elaborately carved and decorated designs were used to signify status, wealth, and prestige. Here’s a look at four designers from across the continent who are taking inspiration from the traditional stool to create elegant furniture collections designed with comforts of modern living in mind.
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Contemporary African designers and artists inspired by scarification and referencing the ancient African tradition in their work. Scarification is the process of superficially cutting, scratching, etching or burning permanent designs into the skin. This form of body decoration is a practice common to West Africa where for centuries the resultant markings expressed a form of unspoken communication such as rank, tribe, beauty, and strength. Patterns in the form of scars would range from simple markings to those more elaborate and intricate adorning the face, chest, torso arms and legs. Scarification is not for the faint-hearted, undergoing the practice was said […]
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Atelier Fifty Five spotlights the work of 9 dynamic designers whose innovative use of Africa’s diverse craft heritages is translated into modern sophisticated products for contemporary living. And in doing so are upholding the banner of Well Made In Africa. Re-imagining techniques and materials these designers are paying homage to the skill of making things by hand thereby recognising how craft is at the heart of true luxury.
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As I highlighted in a previous editorial on Adinkra symbols are a much-referenced communication system that has endured to present day. The Adinkra symbols designs carry within them centuries of wisdom and are among one of the African continent’s oldest writing systems. The symbols have inspired designers and artists the world over who have drawn on the distinctive graphic shapes to create anything from jewellery to patterned textiles. I introduce 5 contemporary African brands referencing the Adinkra symbols in their designs, and in doing so giving them relevance in a modern day and age.
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Collaboration is a powerful thing, the meeting of ideas to create new ones and at times offering up unexpected viewpoints. Collaboration offers those involved a chance to learn, pick up new skills and show off each other’s skills at their best. And in this spirit I have rounded up seven inspiring modern African design collaborations that have come together over the years:
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Jewellery is one of my great loves, and was the main reason I started this blog. I wanted to use the space as a place to store my finds. So I couldn’t help but be instinctively drawn to a collection of string pendant lamps by South African product designer Candice Lawrence. Inspired by the beaded layers of traditional African jewellery, the African Woven Necklace Lamp Shade features three interconnected circular hoops each punctuated with colourful bands of hand wrapped thread.
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In a preview of its forthcoming collaboration with African designers IKEA introduces ÖVERALLT a limited edition collection of tableware, textiles, and seating inspired by the modern rituals across all cultures that punctuate everyday life, what we do and use to make us feel at home. The collection was developed by ten designers from seven African countries partnered with IKEA’s team of designers.
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One can only wonder why they are so many abandoned planes to be found in Kenya, but whatever the reason local designers and artisan are salvaging parts, and with the creative ingenuity that Africa is famed for are upcycling them into artistic furniture and interior products with a futuristic flair.
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TheUrbanative by South African product and furniture designer Mpho Vackier is a collection of furniture and products that aim to tell the stories of African culture both past and present. TheUrbanative’s designs are characterised by bold geometric shapes and graphic patterns based on the patterns of diverse African cultures fused with midcentury European design.
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Studio Badge in Ghana creates chic lifestyle accessories for the modern home. Bearing a minimalist aesthetic underpinned by the founder’s architectural background, each product is handcrafted in limited edition quantities meaning a unique product.
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I recently came across these intriguing half basket, half ceramic vessels, which I found out to be the work of Eneida Lombe Tavares a Portuguese conceptual production designer of Angolan heritage. Named Caruma, the Portuguese word for pine needles the elegant collection is formed of one of a kind vases that explore her African heritage in the context of Portuguese culture.
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Blending into the steep hillside of an eroded volcanic cone that overlooks the Bisoke Volcano is the luxury eco-lodge Bisate. The word ‘bisate’ means ‘pieces’ in Kinyarwanda, and was chosen to reflect how the volcanic cone in which the lodge sits was once whole but is now worn away by natural erosion.
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