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Arts & Entertainment

From Dance Costume to Fine Art: A Biography of Bogolon Cloth

The Southeast Fiber Arts Alliance (SEFAA) is delighted to announce that Dr. Jessica Stephenson, Curator of African Art at the Carlos Museum will be giving a presentation about Bogolon Cloth.  Also called Bogolanfini or mud cloth, Bogolon is a traditional fabric that has become a symbol of Malian cultural identity.  Men hand weave narrow strips of cotton that are sewn into rectangles before being dyed by women in a multi-step process that includes immersion in a dye bath of tree leaves and repeated applications of fermented mud to outline intricate designs.  The traditional designs serve as camouflage, provide protection, identify status, and refer to historical events, objects, mythological concepts or proverbs. Visit the Smithsonian's Discovering Mudcloth to design your own virtual Bogolon Cloth and then join us to learn more about your cloth, its designs and its meanings as well as Bogolon as a global fashion material and its inclusion in fine art work.

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