Hammer & Hand: In Conversation with Francisca Onumah
Drawn to finding character and a human-like semblance in inanimate objects, Ghanaian born silversmith Francisca Onumah creates ambiguous vessels and jewellery that reflect vulnerabilities and strengths through their anthropomorphic forms. Working from sheet metal, she subtly layers different marks, patterns and textures by repeatedly hammering, fold forming and impressing textile patterns onto the surface of the metal. She tells Flow more about her techniques, inspirations and the forms she is most drawn to.
What draws you to the vessel form?
There’s something about the vessel, it’s such a recognisable and relatable form. In the vessel form I see different figurative aspects to it – features such as the body of the vessels, the feet the mouth, can be translated in so many different ways. Some of my earlier work was inspired by different types of vessels, like marine vessels inspired from the Dockyards that I grew up by in Kent. I now make vessels inspired by the human form, which is a vessel in itself. There’s a really lovely connection we have with vessels that I enjoy, I always love watching people pick up and interact with the vessels the way they hold them. The forms as well as the textures really encourage that.
What inspires the patterns on the surfaces of your pieces?
I’ve always been inspired by textiles patterns and motifs. I particularly love looking at Ghanaian textiles, batik prints, Kente cloth and mud cloths. I bring these motifs and patterns into my pieces by creating pleats and folds in the surfaces as well as combining hammered textures with fabric textures taken from calico and tulle fabrics.
How do you develop your designs?
I tend to design as I’m making, I love drawing using different 2D media such as graphite pencils, pastels, ink. I find inspiration from old photographs of African villages, looking at the architecture, figures and textiles. I also love the work of sculptors such as Brancusi, Henry Moore and potters like Lucie Rie and Magdalene Odundo. I love the organic and figurative forms of these sculptors and makers.
I start off with initial rough sketches of different forms and work from there. I usually work from sheet metal, creating the surface textures with different mark making techniques, using textured hammers, and fold forming. I will then use the traditional silversmithing technique of raising to create the vessel forms. As I’m making, I’ll tend to combine different shapes and forms together to further develop the final form of the vessels.
The making process can be quite therapeutic. From the rhythmic noise of hammering – both in raising and in hammering the textures on to the surface – to the repetitive and slow process of folding individual pleats onto the surface.
What first drew you to silversmithing?
I have always been drawn to art and design, and knew from a young age that I would end up in a creative career. I initially wanted to study either interior design or architecture at university, however, after doing a foundation course at the University for the Creative Arts in Rochester (which is unfortunately now closed), I fell in love with contemporary art jewellery. I loved being able to make tangible objects and seeing the way sculptural objects interacted with the body.
I was first introduced to silversmithing on my BA at Birmingham City University’s prestigious School of Jewellery. My initial interest was in jewellery and adornment. The course was more focused on contemporary / art jewellery design, with a few short masterclasses in silversmithing. I became more and more interested in the tskills of silversmithing in the second and third year of my BA course. I really enjoyed the physicality of silversmithing and the breadth of techniques you could use within it. I also loved the sculptural scope with silversmithing.
How does your work engage with or subvert these silversmithing traditions?
I enjoy using traditional silversmithing techniques such as raising, however I like to be quite intuitive with my making process. For example, I tend to hammer the textures onto the sheet metal before I raise the form, instead of doing this afterwards. I find that it gives a less uniform finish on the vessels and allows for the texture to be adapted in an organic way whilst in raising. Instead of using a raising hammer, I use a rawhide mallet that I’ve adjusted to have the shape of a raising hammer – this allows the marks that I’ve already put in to remain on the surface.
There’s a rich history silversmithing, especially in Sheffield, and I really appreciate the years of developing its different skills. Like most traditional crafts in the UK, the techniques aren’t being passed on to the next generation as thoroughly as it would have been in the past which is such a shame. And even though lot of the traditional techniques are still being used, silversmithing looks completely different from what it did 50, 30, even 20 years ago. I think it’s important for the next generation of makers to understand and use the traditional techniques and pass them on; however, tools and materials have changed, which means we adapt the way we make things. In the past a lot of silversmiths worked for a big company, where they’d work on a specific element of a piece whilst making batches of the same pieces. They would be skilled in a very specific skill like tray sinking or spinning. Now, however, most of the piece would be made by an individual maker, who will then outsource very few elements to tradespeople.
Your forms could be seen as anthropomorphic and having ‘postures’ and conversations, is this something you intentionally seek to achieve?
I’m really drawn to the relationship between people and objects, the way in which people relate to and interact with objects. I’m particularly drawn to forms that have a vulnerability to them, the vulnerable postures and conversations are almost like the vessels are inviting you in and as if they have a history or story they want you to be drawn into. This links in with the ideas of imperfection and accepting the marks during the making process – these tell a story of the life that the vessel has lived whilst being made.
I make my vessels in groups and throughout the making process I sit them together as if they are having conversations between them, I look at the way they sit together. I’m reminded of familial connections that I hold dear to me. I come from a big Ghanaian family and the act of family, close and extended, is a very ritualistic act. I visited Ghana for the first time in 20 years last year. Throughout my trip I found that families gathering together, eating together and sharing stories is a very central value that we as Ghanaians hold.
What interests you in ideas of imperfection/perfection?
I always found the Japanese theory of Wabi-Sabi (acceptance of imperfections and transience) really interesting. The idea that an object in its brokenness can be made beautiful through its so called imperfections.
When I was studying Jewellery and silversmithing at University, there was a lot of focus, especially in silversmithing, on creating perfectly made pieces. This tends to mean neat and perfectly soldered seams, or polished surfaces. I found that quite constraining and found that the more I focused on the idea of perfection, the less creative I was in making. So I used that as a starting point for my MA project, looking at the imperfections in creating a vessel, highlighting the seams and the solder joins, purposely creating bruises and scuffed marks in the surfaces of my pieces. This led me to seeing a connection with the vessel and the human form and led me to develop the more anthropomorphic characteristics of my current work.
I used to be a perfectionist when it came to my art and I would rip out pages in sketch books if they weren't perfect. I would be very particular and spend way too long making a piece of art. This exploration of Wabi-Sabi made me address the issue of perfectionism within myself and has made me more creative in my practice.
Francisca Onumah has been the recipient of the prestigious Jerwood Prize and has work in notable collections including The V&A, The Walker Art Gallery, Sheffield Museums and Sheffield Assay Office. Her work has been featured in prominent publications including Crafts Magazine, World of interiors and Goldsmiths Stories.