Fowler Museum: African Print (Event 1 or Extra Credit 1)


Touring the room at the Fowler Museum on Africa Print brought me a cultural awareness of a whole another set of people solely through their textiles and clothes. From looking at the wide assortment of diverse textiles, it was deductible that 3 key characteristics describe African print: bright colors, bold images, and complex patterns. These patterns go beyond their aesthetically appeal as they provide  sociopolitical commentary on the African diaspora. While some may have be more influenced by history, others provide modern designs with hints to the globalization of the world. It was both intriguing and funny to see one with Obama’s face stitched in. African print has come to represent Africa’s artistic style for the past century. Similarly, African dresses take a similarly bold approach in its design. The patterns complex and colors bold, all in all holding meaning beyond just cloth. My personal favorite dress was the yellow one with the pink flowers. It’s always interesting to see  the style of dresses from different cultures as it speaks highly to their tastes. It also begs the questions where tailors find their inspirations from. And while some look to history and modern art in other countries, some draw inspiration from simple things like magazines and fashion calendar. It was a truly awesome experience. 




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