From goatherd to ceramicist via a Wimpy bar in Hertfordshire

HITCHIN IN HERTFORDSHIRE is the home of the North Hertfordshire Museum. Until 25 May 2025, it is holding an exhibition of the ceramic artworks of Abdo Nagi (1941-2001).  He began life in Yemen, where during his early years he was a goatherd. When he was 12 years old, against his father’s wishes, he moved to Aden, where he worked for British ‘ex-pat’ families living there. In 1967, he moved to the UK with his then employer, and eventually settled in Letchworth (Hertfordshire). To earn a living, he worked in a Wimpy bar, then a hotel, and then an engineering firm.

After passing O’level and then A’ level examinations in art, Nagi was appointed Assistant art Technician at North Hertfordshire College. It was here that his creativity began to flower. He began creating ceramic artworks that were inspired by his Yemeni background, and made money by selling them. Then he took a degree in ceramics at Middlesex, graduating in 1988. From then on, his artistic career took off. His work was exhibited in important shows all over the country. The North Hertfordshire Museum bought three of them for their collection. Sadly, a heart attack killed him at the age of 60.

The works currently on show in Hitchin’s fine museum are well-displayed alongside pictures of Abdo at work and various portraits of him painted by local artists. I liked almost all of the works on display. Some of them are unusually shaped, possibly inspired by the crafts of his native land. There is nothing in the exhibition that I would not like to possess – and some of the works are on sale. If you happen to be passing anywhere near Hitchin (a lovely historic town), making a detour to see this show would be worthwhile.