Celebrating Ladi Kwali
March 16, 2022
Today’s Doodle celebrates the life of Nigerian educator, ceramicist, glassworker, and potter Ladi Kwali, who helped introduce the international community to the beauty of Nigerian art through intricately decorated earthenware designs. On this day in 2017, an exhibition of Ladi Kwali’s work at the Skoto Gallery in New York opened.

Ladi Dosei Kwali was born around 1925 to a family of potters in Kwali, Abuja, Nigeria. Her aunt taught her the coil and pinch methods of pottery during her childhood, which Kwali later refined into her own style as she fabricated everyday containers ornamented with animal iconography. Local aristocrats soon showcased her masterful work as home decorations, and it was in a royal palace that Michael Cardew—the founder of Abuja’s first potter training facility—discovered her talent in 1950.

In 1954, Kwali joined the Abuja Pottery Center, where she made history as the first Nigerian woman to train in advanced pottery techniques. She fused her traditional style with these innovative methods to craft a hybrid collection of pottery stylized with zoomorphic illustration. Kwali continued to break the mold into the 60s with exhibitions across Europe and the Americas, achieving international acclaim.

Later in her career, Kwali shared the secrets of her craft with the local community as a university lecturer. She received a doctorate from Ahmadu Bello University in 1977 and the Nigerian National Order of Merit Award in 1980, which is among the nation’s most distinguished academic awards, in honor of her contributions. Kwali is remembered today with each exchange of Nigeria’s twenty Naira note, the first and only Nigerian currency to feature a woman.

Here’s to you, Ladi Kwali! Thanks for putting your unique spin on a traditional craft and sculpting a place for future generations of women artisans

Nice

I wish she can break her clay pots on our leaders heads spiritually. They have destroyed this nation.

Abegi, they are just celebrating our downfall. Useless note

Where does Google like to drink and flex at?





The search bar

Nice

Great Nigerian woman

Very nice one. Thumbs up Google Inc.
I see tribalists coming onto this thread in 3,2,1..

IGBO AMAKA

Aunty Ladi

We ve got real great people from this great land.

No light, water, security and jobs
How is Nigeria still a country?

Ladi kwadi my crush that year

Timblogga:
I wish she can break her clay pots on our leaders heads spiritually. They have destroyed this nation.

lol wtf

Let everything you do in life be filled with excellence and exceptionality

A man's gift opens doors for him,but these days in Nigeria,I don't even understand....
Studied civil engineering and have experience in supervision of building construction jobs on site,still one is idle.....I pray God connects me and the people reading this to our helper soon....

Ladi Kwali i Celebrate you Ma

Nigeria amaka

Those useless bunch of corrupt leaders we have will have the guy to also celebrate her after killing this country.