It is true that it all began in a kitchen?
I was having oxtail stew, polishing the meat off the bones and noticed how beautiful the bones were. Shaped like orchids, sculptural with beautiful symmetry and I realised that in being so strong and lightweight, they could be a great sculptural medium.
When did you start?
In 2014, when I saved up oxtail and chicken bones from my dinners and played around with assembling them into a circular, symmetrical sculpture, like a nest. I submitted this piece to the Hix Award. I was shortlisted and invited to exhibit the piece at Hix Art Gallery.
© Asiko Artist
Where do you source your material?
I collect them from butchers, restaurants, and even the shores of the River Thames. My craft is also linked to the territory and through history, I like the tales of the rag and bone men in Victorian east London who would collect animal bones to sell.
What’s the most surprising aspect of your craft?
The sheer amount of time that it takes to collect, boil, clean, dry, organise, and prepare the material before it is ready to use. There is a long process and ritual that comes before the actual construction.