Brancaster Staithe Sea Shanty Festival 2025
June 10, 2024
One of the world’s most revered ceramic artists, Dame Magdalene Odundo, presents an exhibition of sculptures made and sited in response to the state rooms at Houghton Hall from may to September 2024. The group of new works will be positioned in the great Stone Hall, while early works have been selected to create resonant dialogues with the William Kent-designed interiors.
Dame Magdalene Odundo’s artistry is renowned for its fusion of historical and contemporary influences, exploring themes of diasporic identity and the symbolic significance of objects. Throughout the exhibition, Odundo’s handcrafted sculptures, often evocative of the human form, will be strategically placed to accentuate their diverse cultural references. A centerpiece of the display will be a monumental ceramic sculpture, created using historic Wedgwood molds, which poignantly addresses themes of slavery and contemporary activism. Additionally, visitors will marvel at her mesmerising glass installation, “Metamorphosis and Transformation,” an evocative tribute to ancient Egyptian artifacts and narratives of migration.
Magdalene Odundo is a renowned ceramic artist known for her distinctive hand-built vessels. Born in Kenya in 1950, she studied at the Cambridge College of Arts and Technology and the Royal College of Art in London. her work is influenced by African and European ceramic traditions, combining elements of both to create unique forms. She has exhibited internationally and received numerous awards for her contributions to the field of ceramics. Odundo’s pieces are prized for their elegant shapes, smooth surfaces, and rich earthy colors, reflecting her deep connection to the craft and cultural heritage.
The exhibition will also include a new commission created during her recent residency at Wedgwood, reflecting on the history of the company, Josiah Wedgwood’s role in the abolitionist movement and the continued fight for racial equality. This will be her first solo exhibition in the UK since her acclaimed 2019 survey The Journey of Things at The Hepworth Wakefield and the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts.
Exhibition Information
Tickets: £22 when booked online; £24 at the gate
18’s and under go free. Students £10.
Houghton Hall welcomes pre-booked groups, schools and colleges and runs an education programme.