Ndidi Ekubia was born to Nigerian parents in Manchester, England in 1973. She studied 3D Design at Wolverhampton Polytechnic, before earning an MA in Silversmithing and Jewellery at the Royal College of Art. Drawing on her African roots, Ekubia’s artistic practice blends traditional silversmithing techniques with creative and innovative designs characterised by fluid, organic forms.
Silversmith Ndidi Ekubia was born to Nigerian parents in Manchester, England in 1973. She studied wood, metal and plastics 3D Design at Wolverhampton Polytechnic (now the University of Wolverhampton) from 1992–95, during which time she began exploring copper and gilded metal. However, it was her introduction to the art of repoussé that convinced her to specialise in silversmithing. Repoussé is a technique that uses a variety of chisel-like bossing tools to apply tiny rhythmic hammer blows to the underside of silver, creating three-dimensional reliefs and fine lines. During the final year of her degree, Ekubia and other students staged a show at the Business Design Centre in London, which led her to an artist’s residency at Bishopsland Educational Trust (1995–96), a postgraduate training programme for silversmiths and jewellers, before she enrolled on an MA in Silversmithing and Jewellery at London's Royal College of Art (1996–98).
Drawing on her African roots, Ekubia’s unique artistic style is known for blending traditional silversmithing techniques with creative and innovative design. She produces pieces that range from small domestic items, such as napkin rings, spoons, candle holders, bowls and vases, to large, stunning sculptural centerpieces. She was captivated by the stories her mother used to tell about her previous life in Africa, as well as her African dress, her ‘bits of wooden furniture’, and other objects from Africa that decorated her childhood home. African food, vibrant colours, fashion, language, and what Ekubia describes as the ‘boldness of the African people’, also deeply influenced her creative vision (New York Times 2010). She declared that ‘I am excited by the sensual and rich forms that can be created in metal' (Adrian Sassoon). The distinctive patinas found on Benin bronzes have also influenced her work.
Ekubia hand-shapes steel or wooden forms, crafting moulds that often have a natural feel. Then, she sets them aside for a while before returning to cover them in silver sheets. She uses special hammers, meticulously beating the silver into place on the forms, a labour-intensive process that she describes as ‘hard work’. In this, she draws a parallel with her African heritage, recalling how ‘I watched my mother work so hard in this country’. Each piece takes weeks or months to complete. This repetitive, noisy, and intensely physical work requires a state of almost meditative concentration. Ekubia pushes the limits of silver by stretching and manipulating it through repeated rounds of embossing and chasing, techniques that involve applying decoration to both the front and back of the metal. Ekubia's inspiration from organic natural forms is evident in her use of motifs that evoke woven fibres or plaits. Ekubia’s sculptural Sparkle Vase (2012, Victoria and Albert Museum collection) showcases her skillful craftsmanship. Despite being made of silver, the vase's multifaceted surface resembles fur, its fine chasing and tactile quality almost asking to be touched. Created from a flat sheet of silver, it was skillfully raised into a three-dimensional shape using hammers, stakes, and heat. The meticulous tool marks on its surface highlight the graceful curves and fluidity of the vase's form. Her Flamingo Vase, (2004, Pearson Silver Collection), is a remarkable piece with a form that appears fluid and flowing. Hand-raised from a single sheet of silver, it gives the impression of liquid metal spiraling upward, reminiscent of the eye of a cyclone. Its craftsmanship and unique design demonstrate Ekubia's skillful manipulation of metal, creating a sense of movement and dynamism. Tellingly, Ekubia observed that ‘this piece in particular is about control. You have to control the metal otherwise it will split or distort in a way where you can’t get it back’ (Craftspace).
Among other exhibitions, Ekubia's work has featured in Mixed Belongings, Eight Contemporary African Makers, Crafts Council Gallery, London (2005); RCA Black, Royal College of Art (2011) and Mastery: Women in Silver, Ruthin Craft Centre, Wales (2021). She has also participated in Mirror Mirror: Reflections on Design at Chatsworth (2023), an exhibition comparing the work of 16 contemporary artists and designers with some of the design elements of the stately home and its gardens. In 2011 she curated the show Silver at the Black Swan Gallery in Frome, Somerset. Ndidi Ekubia is currently based in Manchester, England. Her work is represented in the UK public domain in the Ashmolean Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum, Museum Wales, Pearson Silver Collection, Goldsmiths’ Company and Winchester Cathedral, for which she was commissioned to make an ablution cup.
Consult items in the Ben Uri archive related to [Ndidi Ekubia]
Publications related to [Ndidi Ekubia] in the Ben Uri Library