Details
Bronze and twine, edition of 21
H. 9 x W. 3 x D. 6.5 cm
From the series 'Bronzes':
“My bronze sculptures are totems that anchor my practice, a door to the divine that through my hands is poured onto the work; and the canvas through which I learn the wisdom my fingers carry. Ways of moving, ways of manipulating the material that I then translate into larger vessels and other materials. They are the beginning, not only materially but also spiritually.
“Bronze sculptures in Benin City (Nigeria) revere Ogun, the deity of war and iron. A sacred practice that, back in the old days, only the few lucky ones born into the families of Igun Street (the Guild of Bronze Casters of Benin) could practice. And amongst them only the men, until Elizabeth Oluwu, the daughter of Oba Akenzua II, pursued bronze casting with her father’s blessing — the first woman to ever cast, around 1985; she paved the way for the rest of us.
“I started making bronzes because I love wax. Coming from a clay background, wax allowed me to work very differently and so, to push my creativity.
“After spending time in Benin City and Yorubaland in 2025, I now also make bronzes because I have learnt the material’s ritualistic charm. However cold the final object might feel, it carries histories. It carries wisdom. Vessels to connect, be held, feel small and incredibly mighty all at once. Objects to be admired, to hold, to touch as prayers as repeated, over and over again, in solitude or amongst the mass — never alone.”
About the Artist
Bisila Noha is a Spanish-Equatoguinean London-based artist, researcher and writer. With her work she 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.
She is a storyteller with a particular interest in the contributions of women of colour to the history of art and craft. As such, her words are a bridge bringing the past - the forgotten, the ignored, the belittled - to the present; to us.
Her practice extends from material investigations into the vessel that bring alive clay’s history; to sculptures using a range of materials which connect her to her roots, the makers that precede her and our shared past and humanity.
With a background in Translation and International Relations, she is a passionate feminist activist. She leads the London LGBTQ+ Community Centre; co-directs the arts and activism organisation Sheroes Collective; and also is a Trustee at Women in Tri UK, a charity breaking down barriers and empowering women in triathlon.
Bisila ’s work has been featured in many publications including the Financial Times and the New York Times. Notable exhibitions include the landmark exhibition ‘Body Vessel Clay: Black Women, Ceramics and Contemporary Art’ at Two Temple Place, London (2022), York Art Gallery (2022) and the Ford Foundation Gallery, New York (2025). This presented the work of Ladi Kwali, Magdalene Odundo and Bisila Noha, three generations of Black women artists working with clay along with international contemporary artists Vivian Chinasa Ezhuga, Jade Montserrat, Julia Phillips, Phoebe Collings-James and Shawanda Corbett, to 'celebrate surprising new ways of exploring one of the world’s oldest artform.'
Her work can be found in many public and private collections including the V&A, National Museum Scotland, The Crafts Council, UK, Ulster Museum, Northern Ireland, and High Museum of Art, Atlanta, USA.
Delivery Options
Delivery to Mainland UK within 14 days.
International delivery available within 21 days.