Artist In Residence: Magdalene Odundo
Wedgwood’s Artist in Residence programme invites creatives to work alongside the craftspeople within our factory in Stoke-on-Trent, England. Magdalene Odundo’s residency explores the eradication of slave trade and Josiah Wedgwood’s contribution as a ceramicist but also a humanist.
The piece is inspired by Magdalene’s admiration of Josiah Wedgwood’s creative and artistic sensibility, and reforming attitude highlighted by his advocacy of the abolitionist movement. The design concept took inspiration from Wedgwood’s rich archive, namely the historic anti-slavery medallions as well as Wedgwood’s correspondence with the Nigerian anti-slavery campaigner Olaudah Equiano dating back as early as 1745.
The large-scale, towering centrepiece was created using historic moulds from the Wedgwood library, Magdalene then turning them upside down to change the emphasis of the classic Borghese mould. The piece is made of the iconic Jasperware material in Black and Cane colours, which was first developed by Josiah Wedgwood in the 1770s.
This unique piece is on display at the esteemed Houghton Hall in Norfolk, England through the end of September 2024.
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