Donté K. Hayes' Ceramic Sculptures Blend African Traditions with Hip-Hop and Sci-Fi

Donté K. Hayes crafts abstract ceramic sculptures that fuse African heritage with modern pop culture. His latest creations feature colored porcelain, drawing inspiration from kente cloth and Bamileke hats, departing from his earlier monochromatic black designs. Hayes perceives the head as a residence for the soul, positioning his vessels as poetic embodiments of culture. Works such as "Sweater" pay homage to The Notorious B.I.G.'s COOGI sweaters, while "Garner" reflects Ghanaian pottery and Doctor Who's Daleks. He describes these as "future artifacts" that reclaim ancestral wisdom. Hayes's pieces are showcased in "Ancestral Objects: Holders of Memory, Space and Time" at UT Downtown Gallery until February 18, with future exhibitions including "Ancestral Tomorrows" at the University of Alabama and "Ancestral Remix" at Peter Anthony Fine Art in April.