Chiamaka Claudia Duru, Leicester
Claudia is of Italian and Nigerian descent, she has lived in Leicester for two and a half years and attends weekly pottery classes. She is inspired by time spent in Europe and meals in cafes and restaurants. Claudia likes to explore the natural flow of the clay and create pieces for sharing food. She has recently started exploring her Igbo, Nigerian roots through using Nsibidi symbols to decorate her work.
Stories of Making and Migration
As part of Made in the Middle we have been collecting stories of making in the Midlands that are influenced by migration.
We met with ‘everyday makers’ who craft for themselves, making at home, in a local studio or with a community. Through jewellery, pottery, crochet, textiles, blacksmithing and batik, their work celebrates the cultural and ethnic diversity of the Midlands. It highlights how craft skills that migrate with the makers influence creativity.
We met makers of South American, African, Caribbean, South Asian and East Asian heritage. They tell of a love for making and craft. Whether self-taught, passed down through family or shared within their community. It has been a privilege to work with them to weave together a rich tapestry of stories across the Midlands.
Research, documentation and storytelling by Hayley Salter, a Birmingham based photographer, film-maker and creative producer.
