Rhythm and Hues: Cloth and Culture of Mali, West Africa

The enormous West African country of Mali (think Timbuktu) is home to more fiber artists and designers than most other countries of the world. The exhibition, Rhythm and Hues: Cloth and Culture of Mali, West Africa (February 5—May 2, 2010) gives long overdue recognition to the talented Africans who create stunning fabrics and other art, by showing brilliant contemporary examples of their work.

With superb examples of dress, and accompanying photographs, the exhibition will document hand-dyed as well as factory-printed cloth. Social issues such as empowerment of women, the status of dress, and current trends in fabrics will be explored. In addition to the cloth and clothing, Rhythm and Hues shows other forms of traditional art and craft from Mali, such as wooden puppets, and the life-sized masked and costumed figures called “marionettes” which act out legends in the villages. Unusual calabashes and baskets are also included to show the wide variety of typical Malian craft and folk art.