Nifemi Marcus-Bello, the Lagos-based designer, has made his solo American debut with an inaugural exhibition at the gallery Marta in Los Angeles. Well-known for his ethnographic approach of elevating community through design, Marcus-Bello explores the ideas of identity, materiality and craft production through a new, ongoing series of work that he has named ‘Acts’.
The first chapter, ‘Oríkì (Act I): Friction Ridge’, now on view at Marta’s new satellite space in Culver City, takes shape as a collection of sculptural benches made from polished bronze. It is named after the multigenerational tradition of praise poetry (oríkì) and spoken affirmation amongst the Yoruba people and Yoruba-speakers of West Africa, and is intentionally set against a soundscape featuring the voice of the designer’s mother, Folake, as she delivers Marcus-Bello’s personal oríkì.
The concept behind this exhibition was especially significant for Marcus-Bello. ‘This body of work is one that didn't come easy, but was extremely enjoyable from the start. I am hoping to pace myself, hence breaking down the output into “Acts”, making sure to be considerate to all aspects of the work: the research, the output and the presentation,’ he says. ‘For me, how it was shown was a lot more crucial than where, and after a great deal of conversation on scale and space, Marta went hunting for the right space to interact with the pieces.’
Marta’s co-founder Benjamin Critton echoes, ‘After multiple discussions about the presentation of the works, we felt it necessary to show all the pieces in a sufficiently generous space and one with ample natural light in order to literally and figuratively allow the works to shine.’ Critton and his partner, Heidi Korsavong found an appropriately unique space, ‘a real gem of a building, almost an architectural folly (in the praising sense of that word); it's a wonderfully idiosyncratic space, but one that is absolutely perfect for Nifemi's exhibition,’ he says. ‘With steel-framed windows on three sides of the space, the shifting patterns of light over the course of the day serve to activate the textural surfaces of the bronze, to the extent that the works occasionally feel like they are glowing from within.’
Marcus-Bello boldly presents a single form in multiples, which poetically and effectively emphasises the texture, physicality and production processes of each piece. The hands of the craftsmen who make the pieces possible are also celebrated in the legible imprints that have been retained on the works’ surfaces. This gesture also nods to the title of the works, ‘Friction Ridge’ – a reference to the physiology of the hand and an homage to the Surma people of Ethiopia, who paint using themselves and each other by repeatedly using finger imprints.
Marta Satellite, 3050 S La Cienega Boulevard, Culver City, CA, 90232 – 7333 USA
-
Nikos Koulis brings a cool wearability to high jewelleryNikos Koulis experiments with unusual diamond cuts and modern materials in a new collection, ‘Wish’
-
A Xingfa cement factory’s reimagining breathes new life into an abandoned industrial siteWe tour the Xingfa cement factory in China, where a redesign by landscape specialist SWA Group completely transforms an old industrial site into a lush park
-
Put these emerging artists on your radarThis crop of six new talents is poised to shake up the art world. Get to know them now
-
Art, artefacts and Armani Casa: step into our Made in Italy showcaseIn this photographic series, we combine Armani Casa’s timeless furniture collections with Italian art and rare artefacts to tell the story of Made in Italy craftsmanship
-
Playful design codes rule in this London Victorian family home2LG Studio embraces colour and comfort in an extensive renovation of a Victorian family home
-
Design at the White House: the creatives working with US Presidents past and presentInterior designers, fashion designers and artists, whose collaborators have included the White House and its residents, with commissions that range from interior refits to presidential portraits
-
Essx store opens in New York’s Lower East SideEssx is a new concept and community store by local architecture firm Leong Leong and designer Yossi Shetrit
-
Eastside Bowl scores big with a maximalist postmodern aestheticDesigned by Cowboy Creative, Eastside Bowl in Nashville, Tennessee, combines American nostalgia and southern charm
-
The Design Parade kicks off a creative Summer in the French MediterraneanDesign Parade 2023, set between Hyères and Toulon until the fall, features a showcase of design by emerging and established talent
-
This Los Angeles bolthole by Masastudio and Kelly Wearstler is a carefully considered gemLaid out like a village, the first collaboration between LA-based Masastudio and Kelly Wearstler is a sculptural family home inspired by Mediterranean architecture
-
Building Salmon Creek Farm: inside California’s ultimate creative retreatSalmon Creek Farm's founder, the architecture-trained artist Fritz Haeg, opens the doors to his cultural commune and tells us its story
