Mimi Shodeinde’s Nrin Vases Are Fierce, Firm, and Feminine

Though largely self-taught in the realm of furniture and product design, Mimi Shodeinde’s sinuous pieces draw their sculptural flair from a wealth of sources spanning historical figures and music to her Nigerian heritage. The latter informed her latest collection, a show-stopping series of vases called Nrin—a word derived from obinrin, the Yoruba word for “female.” To honor their namesakes, the vessels radiate harmonious movement and poetic elegance thanks to flowing cast aluminum that seems to metamorphose the metal into liquid form. Each is anchored by a sturdy wooden column that nods to the African materiality that continually serves as Shodeinde’s North Star.