The High Museum of Art's Universal and Sublime: The Vessels of Magdalene Odundo exhibition traced the contemporary Kenyan-born, British-based ceramicist's decades-long career through a collection of nineteen large clay vessels, eight sketchbook pages, three complete sketchbooks, and two sets of silk-screened china. Carol Thompson, the museum's curator of African art, elegantly displayed Odunduo's ceramic output chronologically throughout three sections in the exhibition's main gallery. In two smaller adjoining rooms, Thompson invited visitors to explore Odundo's process, influences, and nonceramic work. Although the display allowed ample space for viewing and contemplation, experiencing Odundo's organically shaped ceramics is more than a visual activity. With gleamingly smooth surfaces, the vessels almost demand to be touched and embraced.
Odundo's strong voice pervaded the exhibition, guiding visitors’ understanding of her art. Three quotations affixed in large print on the wall prompted viewers to draw connections between the artist's words and work on display. A quotation...