Alessi - Alessandro Mendini, Chéri Samba - Vase - 100% Make-Up, Tendentse - Porcelain

Alessandro Mendini × Chéri Samba – Allesi '100% Make-up' vase (1992) Tendencies – Limited edition (no. 13/100)

Iconic postmodern design meets socially engaged African art.

Rare porcelain vase from the legendary series “100% Make-up” (1992), designed by Alessandro Mendini and decorated by Chéri Samba (Zaïre/DR Congo). This limited edition (only 100 pieces) was produced by Alessi, Italy, as a tribute to the synthesis of form and free pictorial expression.

Description of the performance

The hand-painted decoration with gold depicts an African woman barefoot at the riverbank. As she attempts to fetch water, she slips and drops the clay pot, which seems to shatter into pieces. The scene is powerful, human, and universal: the moment of stumbling during an everyday task evokes feelings of vulnerability, resilience, and daily struggle.

The depiction is characteristic of Chéri Samba’s body of work, in which he often portrays ordinary people with a deeper social or symbolic significance. The fallen pot symbolizes loss, adversity, or the fragility of existence, while the woman embodies the dignity and strength of African women. An apparently simple scene that touches on universal human themes.

About the artists
Alessandro Mendini (1931–2019) was a key figure in Italian postmodernism and co-founder of Studio Alchimia. His vase design functions here as a 'canvas in porcelain'.
Chéri Samba (1956–) is one of the most influential African artists of his generation, known for his colorful, narrative paintings that often address themes such as identity, social inequality, and morality.

Why is this piece special?

This vase is not just a decorative object – it is a dialogue between design and visual art, between European craftsmanship and African narrative strength. A museum-worthy piece for collectors of design, postmodernism, or contemporary African art.

The original packaging is available with the certificates.