Magdalene Odundo has made headlines for her recent appointment as chancellor of the acclaimed University of Creative Arts.
Born in 1950, the Kenya born artist plunged herself into the creative arts when she took Graphics and Commercial Art as a course in the Nairobi Polytechnic in 1970. Odundo later moved to London in the United Kingdom to pursue a higher education where she studied in various institutions including Cambridge College of Art. She visited Nigeria and later returned to Kenya between 1974 to 1975 to study traditional pottery techniques to later return to Britain to gain more qualifications.
Image from Atlanta Daily World © by Ben Boswell
Highly qualified as a scholar and professor, Magdalene has received high praise for her exhibitions and contribution to the creative arts throughout her career. Known for her collections that mirror the human form, she received the Africa Art Recognition Award in Detroit from the Detroit Art Institute’s Friends of African and African-American Art. In addition to this, she received a more imminent honor which saw her appointment as an Officer of The Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Victoria in 2008.
Retired from teaching since 2016, Magdalene’s works continue to be exhibited across the globe with her art currently forming part of the British Studio Pottery exhibition at the Yale Center for British Art showing from September to December 3rd, 2017. A trailblazer in the artform of pottery, Magdalene is set to begin her work as the Chancellor at her alma mater University of Creative Arts. A student at the university’s Farnham campus formerly known as the West Surrey College of Art & Design, in 1976 it seems the
A trailblazer in the art form of pottery, Magdalene is set to begin her work in June 2018 as the Chancellor at her alma mater, the University of Creative Arts. A student at the university’s Farnham campus formerly known as the West Surrey College of Art & Design, in 1976 it seems the artist is set to start a new chapter of her life, in a familiar place. Speaking to the university’s magazine, Odundo shared her excitement “The University for the Creative Arts has nurtured a whole host of internationally prominent artists who has contributed to every aspect of art and design. This list includes Dame Zandra Rhodes, who it is a privilege to be following as Chancellor…” Not obligated to teach, Odundo’s duties as Chancellor will include presiding over graduation ceremonies and conferring degrees.
The reknowned artist is not obligated to teach, however Odundo’s duties as Chancellor will include presiding over graduation ceremonies and conferring degrees as soon as she is intated as chancellor in June 2018.
