A Virtual Presentation on Tradition, Craft, and Community by Bisila Noha
Join us on March 20th, 2025, for The Clay Women of Ìgànrán, a virtual residency presentation by Bisila Noha, reflecting on her research and experiences at the G.A.S. Farm House in Ikiṣẹ. Over the course of her six-week residency, Bisila spent time with a family of women potters in Ìgànrán, a small town in Ogun State, Nigeria, immersing herself in their traditions and techniques. Through hands-on learning, close observation, and shared moments of laughter and work, she explored the rhythm of their practice, one shaped by generations of knowledge, resilience, and ritual.
Bisila’s time in Íganran began with curiosity and questions. What would she find? How would the women receive her? From the moment she stepped onto the porch, where Ìyá Lẹ́kàn—who leads production—sat with her sisters, surrounded by stacks of sunbaked clay pots, she was welcomed into their world. Over the course of several visits, she observed and participated in each stage of the clay’s transformation, from mining and processing raw earth to shaping, firing, and finally selling the finished vessels. The presentation will bring these experiences to life through photographs and videos taken by Bisila, offering an intimate glimpse into the meticulous, time-honored process of Íganran’s potters.
"Everything is studied, an engineering masterclass. From the fired-clay props on which the first layer of pots sits that allow for wood to go underneath it all while stopping the pots at the bottom from getting burnt. To which pots go where. The kolo —piggy banks— being the smallest of the bunch fill the gaps. The charcoals go first, the other cooking and water vessels sit towards the top and the outer circles, added during the final building stages once the desired height has been reached. I cannot believe my eyes."
— Noha, Bisila. "The cycle of clay life." Substack, 25 February 2025, https://bisilanoha.substack.com/p/the-cycle-of-clay-life
This residency experience laid the foundation for her earlier engagement event Ile Ọkàn – A Gathering at the House of the Soul, a sculptural installation and gathering at G.A.S. Farm House that reflected on materiality, spirituality, and collective craftsmanship. During The Clay Women of Íganran, Bisila will not only bring this journey full circle—weaving together fieldwork, documentation, and artistic practice—but also continue her long-standing commitment to documenting pottery communities and their herstories, a journey that has taken her across multiple regions since 2017.
Event Details
Date: 20th March, 2025
Time: 7:00pm - 8:00pm WAT | 6:00pm - 7:00pm GMT
Location: Online (Zoom Webinar)
The event is free, however, registration is required to receive the webinar link, as only registered attendees will have access to the session.
About the Speaker
BISILA NOHA is a Spanish-Equatoguinean London-based artist. 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 belittled— to us. Her ceramics practice extends from wheel-thrown pieces to sculptures using different techniques and materials which connect her to her roots, the makers that precede her and our past.
Bisila is also involved in various social justice organisations. She leads the London LGBTQ+ Community Centre; co-directs the arts and activism organisation Lon-art Creative; and is part of the Steering Committee at Design Can.
Bisila's residency is generously supported by kó Art Space.
