African Cloth-Making: Storytelling, Connection and Kinship

A lecture presented by Teneshia Samuel, in conjunction with their gallery exhibit “NEO-KENTE” which can be viewed February 1-28 in the Virtual Gallery @ the J.

People of African descent hold a long history of embedding rich storytelling into works of textile and fiber art. Textile and fiber art in the Black community are created for the purposes of adornment, teaching, ceremony, the telling of personal narratives, the denoting of status and kinship and the manifestation of new realities and futures. Kente cloth, mud cloth, wax prints, Ankara fabrics, Adire and Adinkra cloth are just a few of the wealth of textile and fiber arts known to be associated with people of African descent. This lecture will provide an introduction to the meaning of cloth-making in African cultures.

In partnership with the Wagner Green Centre for Access & Inclusion and the ReelAbilities Film Festival Toronto, and in honour of Black History Month.