EXHIBITION - THE BLACK THREAD

The exhibition connects West Africa’s ancient craftsmanship and dynamic textile traditions. You will see how the designers @marchenoirlomeparis and the haute couture designer @imane_ayissi uses traditional African materials, patterns and techniques in their creations. They have made use of their cultural heritage with its rich African skills and transformed it into something new. A new global aesthetic is emerging that promotes a conscious approach by consumers. They follow the thread back to West Africa’s weavers, tailors, markets, colors, materials and cuts – beyond the image of printed fabrics as known as wax prints typically African.

The art pieces designed by the collective Marché Noir and haute couture designer Imane Ayissi are a mix out of Bogolanfini, Faso Dan Fani, Raffia, Obom, and Ndop. The Bogolanfini fabric is also known as the mud cloth a weaving and fabric dyeing technique that has been practiced in Mali since the 12th century. These dyeing technique is very complex and is traditionally hand painted. Faso Dan Fani originates from Burkina Faso and is traditionally woven by female healers. It is a loincloth with multiple colors and patterns woven with cotton. In addition to Ghanaian Kente, a lavishly woven fabric formerly reserved exclusively for kings. Imane Ayissi combines Raffia from Madagascar, as well Obom a fabric made from bark of the aloe tree and Ndop an indigo-coloured batik fabric from Cameroon. Bamileke women stitch tight patterned patches of raffia grass into the fabric before dipping in the dye pits. After several dye and dry cycles, the grass are cut loose revealing intricate geometric designs and symbols. You will still find bits of raffia stuck in the cloth!  Ndop cloth has many traditional functions, it was worn during funeral.

The designers use high quality craftsmanship in their work and thus initiate new impulses. A new way of seeing is emerging, resulting from African craftsmanship and contemporary design. It is important for the Marché Noir label to play with the narrative of Second-Hand clothing and Hand- Me Down trade. Designer Amah Ayivi consciously incorporates Second Hand into his creations and sells them in the global North.

At the Museum of Etnography in Stockholm, classic textiles from Africa are shown that are associated with films about contemporary designers of African heritage. An exhibition dedicated to African craftsmanship and textiles.

The exhibition is produced in collaboration with @artcomesfirst, @ifsuede and @justafrica and is part of the project Ongoing Africa. Part of the exhibition The Black Thread will be shown at @etnografiska . The exhibition is on display at the Museum of Cultures from the 10th of October – April 2021 and at the Museum Etnography from 10 October until further notice.

Snapshots taken from the director @king_kunta_1  Film is directed by King Kunta and produced by | Institut Francais  – presents Imane Ayissi

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PHOTO STUDIO-inspired by the 60s & 70s Afrique sounevir , Local photo studios, documentingimages seen in every african house hold of young mom & dad, young crews,best friends, lovers, local playboys etc...AFRICAN SOUND SYSTEM-steoreo system set of dads collection often kept away from the kids ( yousee DO NOT TOUCH sign)since its only to be used by grown folks , where mostly you find thelatest african music collection , on the weekend you can hear genre suchas Agbadja, high life, afrobeat from Ghanian origin. Which it became partof Marche noir soundtrack naturally.

BATAKALI INSTALLATION-Inspired by the style of JJ Rollins ( president of ghana 1981-2001) how he mixedthe traditional attire to the modern day look. Worn in 1995 in the White House.-the patterns created by the brightly colored threads often represent commommotifs, religious beliefs, and political commentary.Black- maturation, intensified spiritual energy. Blue- peacefulness, harmony and love.Green- vegetation , planting, harvesting, growth, spiritual renewal.Gold- wealth, high status, glory, Spiritual purity.

KENTE -is an Akan royal and sacred cloth worn only in times of extreme importance and is the cloth of kings and nobility. In Akan culture, the diffent colours and intricate patterns used in the weaving do have traditinal meanings. Kente cloth originated with ashanti people of ghana. It dates back 375 years conceived in village called Bonwire. Brothers Kurugu and Ameyaw went hunting and came across a spider spinning web which imspired the weaving of the cloth. Weaving is one of the oldest artforms in the world , and its been part of west african cultures for millennia. Kente design can take 3 days to a month on the making.

Textiles are deeply embedded in the cultural life of west africa, Even Today they retain a social relevance that contrasts with the virtual abandonment of many other artistic traditions of the past. Each cloth is the expression of a heritage that draws together many threads of meaning. No limited to, raw materials, weaving and dyeing technologies, paths of regional and long-distance trade, patterns of cultural continuity and change, and local habits of cloth use and patronage. All are explored through astistry and skill of individual weavers and dyers. While cotton was the main fibre woven in west africa, wool was used in the Inland Niger Delta region of MALI (only area to support wool-bearing sheep). Wild Silk was obtained through boiling the nests and cocoons of certain moths. The Blue dye underlies much of the textile tradition of the region ( in west africa). Dyeing with Indigo , Obtained by drying and process the leaves of two plants (indigofera or lonchocarpus cyanescens). Among the Yoruba deity known as Iya Mapo had particular responsability for indingo dyers. Here are some of the names of some of african indigo dye products omada, Igarra, Gwari, ndop... In north Africa across the Sahara you can also find the Tuaregs who are well know for the indigo dyeing, infact they are called the blue men because of their indigo dyeing skills.

WAX print - Dutch wax or african fabric as the world know it to be, is a print produced in west Africa, was originally manufactured by the dutch for the indonesian textile market, however, the prints gained significantly more interest in west african countries because of the tribal like patterns. Dutch wax print is a industrially produced textile, not handcrafted like most of traditional african fabrics. Designs and colours reflet local traditions. Can symbolise a tribe, marriage and social status of the wearer. Africa been creating wax fabric long time before the Dutch cloth became part of the african cloth trend around the world, thanks to our grandmothers, mothers, aunties & sisters because of deally used of the cloth. This is not a african made cloth, therefore shouldnt be part of the african fabric list in my opinion, its foreign fabric inspired by the african tradition. This is a reminder of colonization as far im concern. My mission as creative always going to be about preserving the craftsmanship of our beautiful continent and protect the tradition. People need to realise that Africa has rich textile tradition, here you have a list of some of the original african textiles : Kente, Bogolan, Akwete, Ukara, Aso Oke, Adire eleko, Barkcloth, Mudcloth, Kanga, Bazan, Shweshwe, ewe cloth, yoruba cloth, Shema, Talismanic cloth, Adinkra, Applique cloth, Asante cloth, elejo, Igbin, Iborunia, Raffia cloth, Ndop... and many more.

VITRINE -Batakali modern cut extended sleeves and body length, tweaked design & pattern more toward genderless look. By Marche noir. The use of the colour palette development of marche noir, vibrant and colourful aesthetic comes from his pan-african ideology. red; Blood that unites all the people of black african ancestry. Black; black people whose existence as a nation .

Green: the abundant natural wealth of africa. VIDEO INSTALLATION/Marche noir digital world
-Arte tv documentary about vintage & craftwork of marche noir. -TF1 documentary sustainable fashion.
-Gallery Lafayette Africa now show curated by marche noir. -Who’s next black aethetic video for trade show, directed by Marche noir.
-Alycia keys secret gig video, casting director & PR for comptoir general.
-junya watanabe casting & modelling.
-canal plus africa promo campaign.
-Indigo Process in the village of Aneho.
-Speaking with Mr Ayivi.

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