Skip to content
About Obakki Meet the Artisans Ethical Impact
Black Lumi |Black | Obakki

YAYA Lumi Vase | Black

$995.00
HANDMADE IN USA

This intriguing, figurative YaYa Lumi Vase by Leena Similu is primitive, modern, and nothing less than mesmerizing.

Color: Black

Notify me when back in stock

Story

Leena’s remarkable sculpture work hits the mark – she wanted to express her West African heritage through her art, and she has done that and more. A combination of primitive and modern with just a touch of the bizarre, a Yaya Situation piece is the perfect anchor art for any room.

Her LA studio, Yaya Situation, is named in tribute to her grandmother, again a nod to her Cameroonian roots. And although she came from a fashion design background, her metamorphosis into sculptor extraordinaire is not surprising. Her fashion design work featured such distinctive items as PVC leggings and sequined pants.

Her sculptures speak to many things. Matriarchy. Fertility. Power. But most of all, they speak to us.

Details
  • MEASUREMENTS: * 14"H x 7"w / 35.5cm x 18cm
  • MATERIALS: 100% clay
  • COLOURS: Black
  • ORIGIN: Los Angeles
Product Care

Dust exterior with a dry cloth. Wash any stains with mild detergent and water, then leave to dry in the sun.

MEET THE ARTISAN

Los Angeles

Leena Simuli, Yaya Situation

After a highly successful fashion career, designing for such esteemed companies as St. John, Jill Sander and Stella McCarthy, Leena Similu decided to try sculpting clay. And wow.

A British transplant in LA, she found herself inspired by her Cameroonian roots when she was pregnant with her son, Cosmo, born in 2017. “I discovered ceramics when I was thinking about the heritage that I could pass on to him,” she explains.

So, she experimented in clay, and like most things she’s tried, she created magic with her sharp instinct, distinctive style, and fearless talent. And in keeping with her intrinsic motivation, she named her studio Yaya Situation – after her West African grandmother, Yaya.

Leena’s popular interpretations in clay will attract attention and start conversations wherever you display them.