- Paperback: 88 pages
- Publisher: British Museum Press (2 July 2001)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 071412740X
- ISBN-13: 978-0714127408
- Product Dimensions: 22.6 x 22.2 x 1.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 677,953 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Description
Product Description
To go to any market in West Africa, where the women are swathed in brightly patterned wraps, is to experience an assault on your visual senses. This book, too, is a visual feast, illustrating the richness and diversity of the African textile tradition, and providing designers at all levels with inspiration for their own work. Over 30 textiles from The British Museum's renowned collection are explored in detail: magnificent blue-and-white, indigo-resist-dyed cloths from West Africa; multi-coloured, tie-dyed and woven North African textiles; "mud cloths" from Mali; the unique wrap-striped weaves and ikats from Madagascar; "adinkra" block-print and painted "caligraphy" cloths from Ghana; and the "adire" cloths from Yorubaland. Who were the craftsmen behind these textiles? How were they worn and why were they made? What dyes and materials were used, what were the principal techniques employed? In his introduction, John Gillow provides the background information to bring the pieces to life. Where appropriate brief commentaries highlight the design features and detailed captions throughout provide the textile student with relevant technical information. In addition all techniques and terms are fully explained in a glossary. Whether you want to rely on the book for eye-catching patterns or refer to it for specific technical information there is a wealth of inspiration for readers of all levels.
About the Author
John Gillow, traveller, writer, lecturer and textile collector has been tracking down outstanding ethnic textiles for the past thirty years. He spends part of each year travelling in Africa furthering his passion for the stunning embroidered and woven fabrics worked by the peasant and pastoral people of these often remote areas. As well as contributing to many museum collections, John has lectured all over the world, most recently in the USA, Australia and South Africa. He is the author of Traditional Indian Textiles, Traditional Indonesian Textiles, Traditional Indonesian Architecture, Arts and Crafts of India and World Textiles.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is an inspiration for anybody interested in pattern-making and textiles. It is richly illustrated with high-quality colour photographs that show detail with great clarity. I have used the book extensively for inspiration in the creation of mosaics with an African flavour and textile artists will relish the wealth of ideas contained in this publication. Chapters on the various types of dying technique include stitch, starch and wax resist, adinkra, clamp resist, painted cloths and, my favourite of all, bogolanfini - Mali 'mud cloths', made by the Bamana/Bambara women who live to the north of Bamako, Mali's capital. This stunning cloth is dyed using "river mud that has been kept for a year or more and is rich with iron salts". Most of Mali's bogolanfini production is sent to New York, but if prospective buyers of this lovely publication would like to know where to buy bogolanfini in England, I would be happy to let them have the address of a supplier! Hilary Minor, Guildford, 2001
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Not Worth More Than $30
27 Feb 2010
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is an 87 page overview of African printed and dyed textiles published by the British Museum Press in 2001. It has brief descriptions in it of the production of barkcloth, raphia, tie dye, stitch resist, starch resist, wax resist, clamp resist, adinkra, bogolanfini, and painted cloth along with some photographs. The cloth examples chosen for the photographs were not of the highest quality, though the photos themselves are quite good. This is the reason I gave it three stars. Another issue I have is with the prices being charged by second hand vendors on Amazon and other places on the Internet for the book. The original selling price was about $20, and I would say that is about what it is worth. You can add another $10 because its out of print. But do not pay $100 or $400 for it. You will be sorely disappointed. There are other books, including the 240 page African Textiles: Color and Creativity Across a Continent, also by John Gillow, that contain stunningly beautiful photographs of magnificent printed and dyed textiles, and cloth created by other techniques. You will get much greater value from this second book if you are looking for information and inspiration rather than a collectible.
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