Ceramicist Explores African Heritage and Labor Through Clay

Spanish-Equatorial Guinean ceramicist Bisila Noha is using clay to explore heritage, community, feminism, and the often-overlooked labor of women. Noha, who left her previous career for ceramics in 2016, has developed a practice informed by research and residencies in Nigeria and Senegal, studying generations of ceramic traditions and women’s roles within them. Her Baney Clay series combines clay from her father’s village in Equatorial Guinea with porcelain to explore her dual identity. Another project, Searching for Kouame Kakahá, investigates the work of a female Ivorian potter whose legacy had been overlooked. Noha’s recent work draws on Benin’s lost-wax bronze tradition as a metaphor for hidden female labor. Named recipient of the Tacchini Prize, she is currently presenting A Tactile Story at Casa Tacchini in Milan, pairing expressive vessels and sculptural works with furniture.