Ibrahim Said
he/his Ceramicist Greensboro, NC
About The Artist
Ibrahim Said is a ceramicist whose practice recognizes the rich cultural heritage, techniques and the history of the pottery industry from his hometown of Fustat, Egypt. Combining wheel throwing, hand-building and surface adornment, including carving, glazing and finials, Said pushes the physical limits of clay while engaging, respecting and building upon a lineage of Egyptian pottery.
Said has previously exhibited in solo and group shows at the American Academy of Arts and Letters, New York, NY; 10th Korean International Ceramic Biennale, Icheon, South Korea; Saatchi Gallery, London, UK; Museum of Art and Design, New York, NY, among others. Said’s work is part of numerous public collections, including the Des Moines Art Center, IA; the Colby Museum of Art, Waterville, ME; Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK; Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA; National Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland; Kalamazoo Museum of Art, Kalamazoo, MI; Center of Islamic Art, Kuwait; Fustat Ceramics Center, Cairo, Egypt, among others.
Said currently lives and works between North Carolina and Cairo, Egypt, and is represented by Yossi Milo Gallery.
About The Work
In the past fifteen years I have combined wheel throwing and hand-building techniques into each piece giving particular attention to finials, surface carvings, and glaze color. The material of clay is at the center of my work. I want to push its physical limits, engage and respect the traditional Egyptian pottery while building upon it. Striving to create unique and beautiful forms is a challenge, but I have found the engineering of each sculpture, as well as the firing process itself, has become its own art as well.
The shapes, imagery, colors and designs in my work are not just beautiful, they are deeply meaningful to me. Islamic design is not just a style or pattern it is a connection to the infinite nature of Allah.
Ibrahim Said, Hourglass, 2021. White earthenware, 55 1/2 × 22 × 18 1/2 inches. Photo by Dhanraj Emanuel; courtesy of Yossi Milo Gallery.
Ibrahim Said, Karnak 3, 2022. White earthenware, 45.75 × 19 × 19 inches. Photo by Dhanraj Emanuel; courtesy of Yossi Milo Gallery.
