Mukecha Stool/ Table
JOMO TARIKU
Mukecha STool/ Table
Ebonized and painted ash
15 x 13.5 x 13.5 in
Edition of 18
The Mukecha Stool is inspired by traditional African mortars and pestles, used for grinding barley, wheat, and other staple crops. These heavy tools, carved from sturdy local wood, are used in a labor-intensive process typically performed by women in the community, often accompanied by synchronizing singing. Tariku’s design for the stool incorporates concentric rings, referencing the neck rings found on bronze busts from the Kingdom of Benin. While the stool’s shape is inspired by the traditional mortar, it fuses two ideas: the simple outline of the mortar is reimagined with intricate ribs extending upwards, inspired by the neck rings of the. The hole in the middle of the seat alludes to the mortar’s function.
Mukecha was used as part of Black Panther: Wakanda Forever set design and is in the collection of the Dallas Museum of Art.
