All-Important Symbolism
While in Ghana, I had fascinating interactions with the weavers I work with. Most times, the weavers wrapped these interesting moments in attempts to weave some of the generated designs. When given black & white images of the new Kente designs, all the weavers I worked with returned with full-color samples. This proved how important color is to the meaning of any given kente cloth.
Color and pattern became all-important, and symbolism was attached to both colors, patterns, and motifs. Names of the cloths can be derived from any source and may not correlate to their appearance. Together, the colors, patterns, shapes, and names combine to tell a story, an anecdote, a theme, or symbolize the wearer's clan, history, and specific set of values.
With this in mind, I pushed harder on my motif experiments. I've so far created thirty motifs based on different experiences during my time in Basel and some aerial shots of certain places here.
Through building this library, I'm creating visual elements and multiple stories through a combination of motifs, patterns, and colors. When worn, it is more than just a piece of attire; it is a visual representation of history, philosophy, ethics, religious belief, political thought, and oral story-telling.
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April 05 2021
