For his first exhibition in Los Angeles, Nigerian designer Nifemi Marcus-Bello has created an immersive experience that draws on a variety of ancient African traditions. Taking inspiration from both East and West Africa, he created a series of bronze benches that fuse techniques from different cultures to create something beautiful and new. During production, Marcus-Bello worked side-by-side with artisans in Lagos, Nigeria, and Benin. In reference to the Surma tribe, both the designer and the artisans thumbed down clay on the surface texture of the bench, thereby creating a silicone mold. To honor the traditions of the Benin Kingdom, they used a lost wax casting technique to invent the curved form of the bronze bench.
Celebrating Ancient Practices Through Modern African Design
