Bogolan: Shaping Culture through Cloth in Contemporary Mali

FROM THE PUBLISHER

In this beautifully illustrated book, Victoria L. Rovine explores the revival of a traditional African textiles known variously as bogolanfini, bogolan, or mudcloth. Over the last decade, artists of the West African nation of Mali have adapted this cloth, featuring black- or brown-and-white geometric patterns, to create a variety of new wares, including intricately detailed paintings, elaborate high-fashion clothing, and a wide range of other products aimed at both domestic and foreign consumers.

SYNOPSIS

Rovine (curator of the arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas at the U. of Iowa Museum of Art) explores the revival of a traditional African textile known various as bogolan-fini, bogolan, or mudcloth. She describes the styles and forms that have developed as the cloth has moved from its rural origins into an urban, international marketplace, as well as its role in national and ethnic identity, commerce, and the world of fashion. The book contains abundant b&w illustrations, with a section of color plates.