On View
On viewObject number2016.37
Calling
Artist
Ibrahim Said
(Egyptian, 1976-)
Date2013
Mediumwhite earthenware
DimensionsOverall: 20 1/2 × 11 3/4 × 11 3/4 in. (52.1 × 29.8 × 29.8 cm)
Credit LineElisabeth Claire Lahti Fund
Exhibition History"Out of the Fire: Masterworks of Ceramics," Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, changing exhibitions galleries (Jan. 14 - Mar. 12, 2017).
"The Way Forward: New Acquisitions at the KIA," July 28 - December 2, 2018.
"Ahead of the Curve: Sculptures from the KIA" at the Center for New Media - Arcus Gallery, Kalamazoo Valley Community College (September 6 - September 27, 2019).
"Africa, Imagined: Reflections on Modern and Contemporary Art," KIA Gallerys 3 & 4 (January 22 - May 1, 2022)
"Legendary Voices: Art for the Next Century," KIA (September 7 - February 18, 2025)Label TextIbrahim Said draws his inspiration from Islamic art and the cultural heritage of Egypt. For Said, the form of a work is the foundation and each additional step (carving, glazing, etc.) must support the form.
Calling’s cone-shaped forms resemble the audio systems often affixed to the top of minarets. These series of stacked megaphones call Muslims to prayer. The highly patterned ends of Said’s “megaphones,” however, resemble ancient Islamic jug filters. Over the centuries, jug filters were embellished with beautiful floral, geometric, and calligraphic patterns. Said continues this tradition by incorporating filter patterns into his sculpture. The simple circular shapes balance the ornate carving. The green glaze used in Calling is based on similar glazes used in ancient Egyptian ceramics.
