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Kenteverse


The Kenteverse is a multifaceted Art, Design & Music project exploring Kente’s innate power to create. I’m primarily using sounds sampled from the loom during the weaving process to generate new Kente designs and experiences.

When I started this project, I thought I was merely observing and dissecting the anatomy of Kente. I wasn’t aware of the fact that I was peering into a whole universe, The Kenteverse. Sound & Rhythm drove me here, and they’ve been my main points of contact in understanding the numerous locations within this universe. Language, History & Fashion are just some of the areas I’ve gained access to during my time here.

+ Videos
+ Beats
+ SONX



+ Resources
+ Reez

Technique


Some weavers weave in a set beats per minute (BPM) without even realizing it. This tempo, sometimes fast or slow, is often coupled with a repeated pattern of sounds. This repeated pattern is what is referred to as Rhythm.

Rhythm is among the most important fundamental elements in music, with differences in rhythmic structure characterizing different music styles.

So in effect, this structure concerning weaving could also point to the weaving done. Regardless of speed, set repeated patterns could almost always be heard depending on the type of weaving.

Thus far, I’ve identified a range of BPMs for some Kente weavers in Ghana –– 100 BPM. In tandem with this, I also experimented with some of these set repeated patterns of sounds.

I visually examined the waveforms of these sound patterns to see how I could work with these sound patterns to depict visual patterns. These could then be woven as cloths as well.
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October 22 2020