Kindness, Optimism & Community

Bisila Noha is a Spanish London-based ceramic artist. Her work aims to challenge Western views on art and craft; to question what we understand as productive and worthy in capitalist societies; and to reflect upon the idea of home and oneness pulling from personal experiences in different pottery communities. 

Nsibidi is an ancient system of graphic communication indigenous to the Ejagham peoples of southeastern Nigeria and southwestern Cameroon in the Cross River region. It is also used by neighbouring Ibibio, Efik and Igbo peoples. 

Using Nsibidi, Bisila and Nifemi have translated the key thoughts from their conversations into a poetic graphic performance. A language that is currently obsolete due to colonisation, the designers have chosen it as a metaphor for all the indigenous systems, solutions and sustainable practices that have been erased by colonisation in favour of ‘modernity’ and ‘progress’.

While Western-centric solutions are being force-fed across the globe to slow down climate change; Nifemi and Bisila look into Nigerian traditions and their culturally embedded take on recycling and upcycling as an art form and lifestyle to find answers and inspiration.

Lagos Mahogany also known as Khaya Ivorensis has a key role in soil regeneration and sustainability. Wherever planted, this tree improves and enriches the soil. 

Water plays an important factor in the daily lives of communities across the globe. How as a global community can we consume water responsibly to reduce the likelihood of droughts in drought prone countries in the future.