§ 01 Product. Limbani · Mug · 19,00 €
AK · 34 · Limbani 01 / 04 Limbani the Hippopotamus on a mug by Animal Kinhood
AK · Nº 34 / 36 Limbani · Liwonde, distrito de Machinga, ribera del río Shire, Malawi

Limbani.

Mug

White ceramic outside and black inside: this hippopotamus mug carries the portrait of Limbani, who makes bricks by hand and sells them stacked. It belongs to Animal Kinhood, where I portray animals that dress and work like people.

Printing
All-over, vibrant and washableAOP DTG · sublimation
Production
Cut and sewn in 3–7 daysOn demand · no stock
Shipping
Worldwide with trackingUSA / Latvia
Warranty
Defective? We reprint itAt no extra cost
19,00 € Tax included · white-label
01
§ 02 The real species. Hippopotamus amphibius · Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) in the wild Foto: Jonathan Göhner (@jochieng1) / Unsplash (Unsplash License)
The real species

Hippopotamus.

Hippopotamus amphibius

Don't come looking for me at two in the afternoon, I'll be in the water.

Rivers, lakes and freshwater marshes across sub-Saharan Africa, always with enough depth to submerge completely and with grazing close to the bank. In Malawi its main strongholds are the river Shire where it runs through Liwonde National Park, where more than two thousand individuals are concentrated, and the shallow shores of Lake Malawi.

§ 03 The story behind the portrait. 3 min · 02 chapters
I
CAP · 01 / 02

A Stack Is Counted from the Outside

Bricks are sold in stacks, and a stack is counted from the outside. The buyer walks round the pile, counts the four faces, works it out and gives a price. What gets paid comes off that. Limbani builds the four faces with whole brick, properly lined up, and puts the ones that came out cracked into the middle of the stack, where nobody sees them. He does it with every batch. Along the bank this doesn't get discussed and he doesn't bring it up.

II
CAP · 02 / 02

He Paid Him Half and Loaded It Anyway

Once he got a buyer who, instead of counting faces, took the pile apart down the middle. He found the cracked ones, paid him half and carted the stack off anyway. Limbani didn't argue and didn't ask him to count it again. On the next stack he did exactly the same thing: four faces of whole brick and the cracked ones in the middle. That was two years ago. He has told nobody on the stretch and nobody has asked him.

Limbani · Read the full biography
§ 04 Technical specs. Category · pod
Material & composition
Cerámica con interior de color · sublimación exterior
Production
Print provider: PrintfulProduction method: sublimationProduction time: 2–7 busin
Care & maintenance
Apta para microondas y lavavajillas según indicaciones Printful. Evitar choque t
Shipping & timing
Shipping category: mug
§ 06 More of Limbani. 08 objects · same author
§ 07 What people ask. 08 · about POD
  • Each product is made to order when you place your purchase. There is no pre-made stock or overproduction. A specialised production partner prints, cuts, and prepares it specifically for you.
  • Production normally takes 2-5 business days. Shipping adds 3 to 20 days depending on destination. Most orders arrive within 1-3 weeks total. Exact times depend on the production facility and your location.
  • Contact us at mail@yagopartal.com with your order number and clear photos of the damage (include packaging). We will review your case and offer a solution as soon as possible, either replacement or refund.
  • No. No animals participate in or are harmed during the process. The portraits are created combining photography, illustration, and artificial intelligence. They are fictional characters representing real species with respect and dignity.
  • Yago Partal is a visual artist and photographer from Barcelona known for Zoo Portraits (2013), a project that brought his work to international media. Animal Kinhood is the evolution of that artistic exploration.
  • Yes. We accept custom commissions of all kinds: pet portraits, corporate projects, and artistic collaborations. Visit the Custom Projects section in the footer for details and contact.
  • Open editions (main shop) are on-demand products with no copy limit. Limited editions (the Editions section of the shop) have controlled numbering and premium finishes with gallery-grade materials.
  • Since products are made on demand, different items may be manufactured at different facilities. Posters, mugs, and backpacks are often shipped separately. Each package has its own tracking number.