Vessel c. 20th century

This Bamum vessel sits in the Minneapolis Institute of Art, but where did it come from and how did it come into being? Imagine the artist shaping the clay, shifting and emerging through trial, error, and intuition. I can imagine the artist thinking about form and function; the curve of the bowl, the practicalities of the spout, the handle shaped like a human, all coming together. The material itself has an amazing texture. Those repeated triangular protrusions give it a certain kind of visual rhythm. The piece feels grounded, dense, and earthy, yet there is a lively quality to the shapes, as if it might spring into action. Artists are in ongoing conversation with each other across time, inspiring each other’s creativity. This vessel is an embodiment of expression that invites multiple interpretations, offering us new ways of seeing, thinking, and experiencing the world.