Bamana Mud Cloth at the DMA

 The Cartier exhibit was wonderful, but I'm not finished yet.  Another spot I want to visit at the DMA today is highlighting Bamana Mud Cloth.  "What is that?" you say.  Well --- 

"Bogolanfini (mud cloth) originated among the Bamana peoples of Mali hundreds of years ago.  It was traditionally used to make tunics for men (hunters and warriors) and wrappers for women.  Women wore bogolanfini during crucial milestones in their lives, including coming of age, consummation of marriage, childbirth, and transition to the afterlife."

The geometric designs derived from mud cloth have been part of the Western visuals since the 1970s and an American fashion designer is credited with popularizing the designs in the U.S.; however, it was a Malian designer, Chris Seydou, who debuted bogolanfini motifs and fabric on the runways in Paris in about 1976.  Today, I've seen these designs on a variety of textile products - home furnishings to haute couture, by celebrated designers like Lauren, Givenchy, and de la Renta.

So ---- how is it made?  It is VERY labor intensive and takes about two weeks.  Men weave local cotton into six-inch-wide strips, which are then sewn together.  The cloth is dyed with a solution of pounded leaves and bark.  After drying in the sun, the cloth becomes shades of yellow.  Months earlier, mud was collected from the center of ponds and placed in jars to ferment.  The mud dye ranges in color from reddish brown to blacks and grays.  It can be combined with leaves to intensify its color.  To begin patterning, the artist (traditionally a woman) first divides the cloth into sections.  Seated and working over a small, round surface, the artist outlines the designs for each section.  A pointed spatula is used to apply much to the background around the designs.  The cloth is dried in the sun and then washed.  The process is repeated for each section until the dark background is complete.  The cloth is soaked in a solution to deepen the mud-dyed background.  In the final stages of patterning, bleach caustic soda, or millet soap is carefully applied to the pattern.  The cloth is dried in the sun and then washed.  The bleaching process is repeated until the pattern is suitably bright against the dark background.

Notice the patterns.  There is this handy-dandy little guide to understanding the symbolism involved.  See if you can find each of them in my pictures.

There ya go ---- something new.  I am always fascinated to learn.