Serene.Siren.Mendi

This stained glass by Athi-Patra Ruga was crafted from coloured glass cut to shape and assembled using copper solder. The monochrome areas were hand painted with a dry-brush technique and fired repeatedly in the kiln to build depth and tonal variation. Taking the form of a self-portrait, the work commemorates the sinking of the SS Mendi, the British vessel that carried Black South African troops during the First World War. Both an acknowledgement and a memorial, it grants a touch of beauty to a site of tragedy.

CRAFTED BY

Athi-Patra Ruga

Stained glass maker | Hogsback, South Africa

Sorry, this object is not included in the Homo Faber 2026 Awards.