The African Decor Edit
A new book by Nasozi Kakembo
The first time I met Nasozi Kakembo was at a trade show in 2018. We followed each other on Instagram a few years prior, but never met in person. Even though we lived on opposite ends of the country at the time, and then eventually in different countries, she became not only a collaborator but a dear friend.
Nasozi is a writer, designer (xN Studio), executive director of the Mukono Foundation, and all around wonderful human. Her passion for bringing awareness to design, art, and craft objects from across the African continent has been transformative in this space.
And now, I can’t tell you how thrilled I am that she is adding author to her by-line with the publication of The African Decor Edit: Collecting and Decorating with Heritage Objects.
Nasozi describes this book as a record that documents not only the intention and care she has pored into her own studio, but also a record of the relationships and interactions that she has established while building her company. She states:
“I wanted to build out the profile and the stories of those artisans because so often, as Black and African people in this world, our stories and profiles and the robustness of our lives are usually diminished if not completely erased.” - Nasozi Kakembo in Essence
And that is exactly what The African Decor Edit is. Not only is it a gorgeous interior design book, but it is also an important text that invites us to analyze the relationships that we have with the objects we buy, celebrates ethical sourcing, and shares stories about the artisans that make the things we love.
I was also honored to play a small role in the research for this book. Within the book’s pages you may recognize some of the artisans. Salifou Soro Nibé, a Master weaver who may have woven the Five | Six Textile you own, is featured. Christian-Lopez Amani, a Baule weaver who has contributed a handful of one-of-a-kind textiles to our Archive. And if you have ever sourced a Sénoufo stool through us, Abou Soro carved it. You might also find a peek into my former London home.
“Art is a gateway to culture” is the opening sentence to the forward of AD Edit by Justina Blakeney. I couldn’t agree more. This book means so much and not only showcases the creativity of contemporary African design, but encapsulates the imaginative and multifaceted ethos that Nasozi cultivates in everything she does.
A Sneak Peek. 👀
I remember one Saturday afternoon I was working at an artisan market selling my decor collection in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan. The neighborhood has historically been one of the most ethnically diverse in all of New York City. Chinese, Puerto Rican, Jewish communities and more all converged in a footprint of less than one square mile. On this Saturday, my Ugandan baskets were on prominent display. In the short span of the eight-hour market, passersby from Colombia, China, and Afghanistan all stopped to marvel and share a story of how almost-identical baskets exists in their respective countries also. The elderly Chinese-American woman even explained to me that her grandmother used to weave these baskets when she was a small child in rural China. I will never forget these stories and how these baskets granted us moments, even if fleeting during Saturday errands, to nurture a cross-cultural exchange and understanding.
This book is an homage to my upbringing and my life’s work, which would not be possible without the very skilled expertise and knowledge of the artisans and craftspeople throughout Africa.
- Nasozi Kakembo, The African Decor Edit, 2024, p. 12.