Bisila Noha

@bisilanoha

📍The Weight of Turning, 28-31 May at @sarabandefoundation Artist in residence 2025/26 @sarabandefoundation 🖊️ ‘In the thick of it’ Substack ↓
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As part of my solo show ‘Ile Ọkàn’ (House of the Soul) I have written a book ✨ It is not a catalogue that accompanies the exhibition, but rather a whole universe in and of itself. Reflections on my making, the inspiration behind the works, stories from my travels last year, poetry and a selection of writings by others that perfectly encapsulated the ideas and feelings behind my writing. With beautiful photos both by @christiancassiel and myself, the book has been designed by the one and only @samarmaakaroun and her team at @pentagramdesign A HUGE thank you to Samar as she masterfully brought to life my vision for this book — my third print publication to date ❤️ And shout out to @chrishyzz , the editor, & @roy.killen , the printer. A wonderful team effort! 👏🏾🙏🏾 The book can be bought either at the exhibition or online via @throwncontemporary website. You can also DM to purchase one ✨ And if you have not seen the show yet, it is open until Sunday this week, March 29th at @omvedgardens Video: @elsapearlphotos ❤️
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1 month ago
@bisilanoha ’s studio is a ceramicist’s dream 🌥️ The self-taught artist guides us through her path to the potter’s wheel - experimenting, mixing clays, breaking "rules" and following her curiosity. Bisila Noha’s work will be displayed in V&A East Museum’s Why We Make Galleries, opening in April 2026. Watch the full video on V&A’s Up Next YouTube Channel 📺
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5 months ago
At our private vernissage THE ART OF SURVIVAL at @ampneypark , ceramic artist @bisilanoha presented ‘Amongst Many Stools’, a collection exploring identity, heritage and connection through clay.   Drawing from African stool traditions, the works blur the boundaries between sculpture and furniture design, combining material exploration with storytelling and craft.   Made using three different clays and a wide range of techniques, the collection becomes a portal into Bisila’s inner world, artistic evolution and shared histories.   🔗 Selected artworks are now available to buy, link in bio   50% of sales has been generously donated to support David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation’s mission of protecting wildlife in Africa and Asia.
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3 days ago
Next stop: THE WEIGHT OF TURNING OPENING WEDNESDAY 27th MAY 2026 6:00 - 8:00 PM @sarabandefoundation ‘The Weight of Turning’ is a group exhibition curated by Sarabande residents Antonia C.H @antoniac.art and Siphiwe-Nokukhanya Mnguni @s_i_p_h_i_w_e showcasing new and recent work by a group of contemporary artists exploring the experience of creating work in unprecedented times. Featuring works in ceramics, painting, objects and fashion, the exhibiting artists consider what it means to create from a place of instability. Dreamy line up 👇🏽👇🏽 @anna.lena.krause @bisilanoha @jogrogan_sculpture @louisjmpetit @olubiyithomas @george_richardson @helenapalmeira @jack_laver @jane_preston_ceramics @s_i_p_h_i_w_e The show will be open from May 28 to 31 at the Haggerston Space @sarabandefoundation Link in bio for more details ✨
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4 days ago
✨ New Acquisition ✨ We are pleased to announce that ‘Primus II’ by Bisila Noha has been purchased from Thrown by the Contemporary Art Society, and presented to MIMA (Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art) (@mimauseful ). @bisilanoha is a Spanish-Equatoguinean artist who is interested in the unacknowledged contributions to craft and the history of art by Black and indigenous women, who are often unnamed. Primus IV (2024) is part of a series of ceramic works by Bisila Noha that explore dance, textiles and the movement of clay. The work is named after and pays homage to Pearl Eileen Primus (1919-1994), the pioneering dancer, choreographer and anthropologist, who was born in Port of Spain, Trinidad, and relocated to New York with her parents in 1921. Inspired by Primus’s choreographed movements, the sculpted terracotta form Primus IV captures the rhythm and energy of dance. The clay appears to shift, echoing the fluidity of Primus’s clothing as she performed. Just as Primus defied gravity with her soaring jumps, Noha’s clay form seems to hover between motion and stillness, unfurling and swaying like fabric caught mid-dance. Primus was instrumental in introducing African dance to American audiences, using movement to communicate cultural memory and artistic expression. Her choreography was deeply influenced by her research across Africa and the Caribbean. Bisila Noha explores identity, belonging, hidden histories and the deep connections between people and land. These themes are echoed in numerous works in the Middlesbrough collection, including those by John Akomfrah, Bawa Ushafa and Lawson Oyekan. ©️ Bisila Noha. Photo credit: the artist Artist portrait by Sebastian Bruno
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13 days ago
More exciting moments ahead this 2026 ✨ So so SO over the moon to be part of @gasfoundation presentation at the 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia (@labiennale ), by Koyo Kouoh. In Minor Keys. “Our inclusion reflects the Foundation’s commitment to dialogue, care, and exchange across local and international contexts. Kouoh’s invitation recognises the residency as a practice in its own right: a site of research, sustained engagement, and shared inquiry.” ⁠ The artwork presented In Minor Keys is led by Ann Marie Peña (@ms.a.m.pena ), with support from Yinka Shonibare CBE (@yinkashonibarestudio ), Belinda Holden (@belholden ) and Moni Aisida (@solamoni ). Project managed by Samantha Russell (@fiberlegacy ), with architectural installation design by MOE+ Art Architecture (@moeaa.feed ). ⁠ ⁠ It is an absolute honour to be in the company of a fantastic group of artists who also were in residence at @gasfoundation : Alberta Whittle (@purebred.mongrel ), Ayomide Fasedu (@the_midefash ), Bisila Noha (@bisilanoha ), Catherine Bardi (@bardi.oo ), Damilola Akin-Olasupo, Emma Prempeh (@reclus__e ), E.N. Mirembe (@subtleroyalty ), Gideon Gomo (@gideongomo ), Jonn Gale (@balkanjonn ), Ofem Ubi (@ofem.ubi ), Olayinka Eno Babalola (@island.sunsets ), Olufela Omokeko (@omokeko ), Portia Zvavahera (@zvavaherportia ), Raqs Media Collective (@raqsmediacollective ), Raymond Pinto (@raymondpinto ), Ṣọlá Olúlòde (@solaolulode ), Tobi Onabolu (@tobionabolu ), and Umar Rashid (@frohawktwofeathers ). ❤️ #biennalearte2026 #inminorkeys #gasfoundation #yinkashonibarefoundation #labiennale
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13 days ago
The latest @intentions.world show on @radioalhara is now on soundcloud ✨ A recording of @rafington & @maxinepennn ’s set from last month’s Intentions gathering at @omvedgardens , held within @bisilanoha ’s Ile Ọkàn (House of the Soul) exhibition 🧡
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24 days ago
Tonight on @radioalhara ✨ Intentions, Ile Ọkàn A live recording from the Intentions gathering at @omvedgardens last month. Held within Ile Ọkàn (House of the Soul), an exhibition by @bisilanoha , the evening moved in resonance with her work, touching on ritual, spirit, and our connection to the natural world. 7pm Bethlehem / 5pm London
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28 days ago
And it’s over 😭 We said goodbye to Ile Ọkàn (House of the Soul) last night after two and a half wonderful weeks at @omvedgardens . A big thank you to everyone who came by - for taking the time to take it all in and share your thoughts with me To Claire at @throwncontemporary - for all the trust, freedom and encouragement And to all the fantastic collaborators who made my dream show come true! @maxinepennn @intentions.world @rafington @seedarchives @christiancassiel @samarmaakaroun @pentagramdesign @dariusenache @roykillen and Nieves Noha One more Substack hitting your inboxes tomorrow and then I’ll be off for a much needed break. See you on the other side ❤️ And if you miss the show… You can see the collection on @throwncontemporary website And listen to the soundscape on @maxinepennn Soundcloud Link in bio for both! xx
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1 month ago
Final chance to visit! Bisila Noha: Ile Ọkàn (House of the Soul) is open at OmVed Gardens until this Sunday 29 March. 🔉 Sound on for a sample of the immersive soundscape by multidisciplinary artist and curator @maxinepennn . Visit the exhibition to listen in full. This evening, Barn Conversation: Journeys with women potters in West Africa with Bisila Noha. Link in bio to book. Exhibition Opening Hours Friday 27 March. 11 am - 5pm Saturday 28 March, 11am - 5pm Sunday 29 March, 12pm - 5pm Free to visit but booking required 🔗 Presented by @throwncontemporary Soundtrack by @maxinepenn Video footage by @elsapearlphotos Design by @samarmaakaroun @pentagramdesign #omvedgardens #bisilanoha #londonart #ceramicartist
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1 month ago
Meet Bisila Noha, our Artist of the Month whose solo exhibition is currently open at OmVed Gardens. @bisilanoha is a Spanish-Equatoguinean, London-based ceramic artist, researcher, writer, and storyteller. Her work challenges Western views on art and craft, questions what we value in capitalist societies, and reflects on home, identity and oneness. Her solo exhibition Ile Ọkàn (House of the Soul) is on now at OmVed Gardens, presented by @throwncontemporary . Expanding on the original Ile Ọkàn built during a 2025 residency in Ikise, Nigeria, the show reflects on a four-year journey of material and spiritual exploration. From marbled slip wheel-thrown pieces to sculptural works that connect her to her roots and the makers who came before her, her ceramics are as deeply personal as they are visually striking. Bisila’s work is held in collections including the V&A, who will be exhibiting two of her sculptures at the opening of V&A East this April. 📍 Ile Ọkàn is on now at OmVed Gardens until Sunday 29 March. 🔗 Link in bio for more opening times and tickets. Design by @samarmaakaroun @pentagramdesign #ArtistOfTheMonth #BisilaNohа #OmVedGardens #CeramicArt #WomenInArt
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You’re Invited: Bisila Noha: ‘Ile Ọkàn (House of the Soul) The new exhibition opens today at OmVed Gardens, presented by @throwncontemporary . Artist @bisilanoha brings together sculpture, vessels, photography and sound to create a space part shrine, part altar, part sacred room — shaped by ritual, memory and a four-year journey of material and spiritual exploration. Accompanied by an immersive soundscape by @maxinepennn . A space not to rush through, but to sit with, together. Free to visit until Sunday 29 March. Book your ticket via the link in bio. Image credit: Robert Chadwick. Design by @samarmaakaroun @pentagramdesign #omvedgardens #bisilanoha #springequinox #londonart #visitlondon
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1 month ago