Donté K. Hayes' abstract ceramic sculptures beautifully blend traditional African basketry, hairstyles, and pottery with modern cultural influences. Though these pieces lack conventional openings, they serve as poetic vessels, symbolizing the human head as a repository for culture, language, and personal expression.
Over the years, Hayes has focused on crafting monochrome black forms from porcelain, characterized by intricately hand-marked surfaces that evoke a strand-like texture. Recently, he has begun to integrate colored porcelain into his bulbous creations, drawing inspiration from vibrant African textiles such as kente cloth and the prestigious ashetu hats worn by the Bamileke community in Cameroon. Hayes emphasizes, "The head is more than just a center for thought; it is the sanctuary of the soul that must be safeguarded."
Incorporating elements from Indigenous adornment traditions of Western and Central Africa, Hayes also references his passion for hip-hop culture. His piece titled "Sweater" pays homage to the late rap icon Biggie Smalls, known for his colorful knitwear, particularly COOGI, a brand that thrived in the 1980s and 1990s.
Hayes' vibrant creations celebrate the African Diaspora's freedom to express themselves boldly and unapologetically. He explains, "By experimenting with colored porcelain and blending it with mason stains, I remix inherited materials into innovative forms, challenging existing ceramic hierarchies and cultural perceptions of color."
The artist's motifs and styles are influenced by various sources, including ceremonial pottery from Ghana and Burkina Faso. His work "Garner" draws from these textured vessels, contemplating their everyday use and their connection to popular culture.
"In 'Garner,' the traditional pottery forms evoke both bubble wrap, designed to protect fragile items, and the Daleks from Doctor Who, a fictional race known for their destructive tendencies," Hayes notes. "By merging these contrasting concepts, I create a 'future artifact' that preserves ancestral knowledge while opening doors to healing and empowerment in the present and future."
Currently, Hayes' work is on display until February 18 at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville's exhibition Ancestral Objects: Holders of Memory, Space and Time. Upcoming exhibitions include a solo show titled Ancestral Tomorrows at the Sarah Moody Gallery of Art in Alabama, alongside participation in the group exhibition Remix to Motown 45: Side A, Side B in Detroit. Another solo exhibition, Ancestral Remix, will open in April.
