A Woven Universe

[Photo by Don Tuttle, prestige baskets, Tutsi people, early 20th century, from The Textile Museum exhibition Weaving Abstraction: Kuba Textiles and the Woven Art of Central Africa as seen in Hali, fall 2011.]

Hali's fall issue offers in-depth coverage of several exhibitions we've been talking about during the past few months: The Art of the Anatolian Kilim, Global Patterns: Dress and Textiles in Africa, and Weaving Abstraction: Kuba Textiles and the Woven Art of Central Africa.

[Undated postcard photographed by Usumbura shows Tutsi women in front of insika wall panels, Pierre Loos collection, Weaving Abstraction: Kuba Textiles and the Woven Art of Central Africa.]

If you're a basketry aficionado, I think you'll appreciate the magazine's expansive look at the Central African baskets included in Weaving Abstraction. As always, I'm struck by the pervasive influence African geometrics have had on European and American design.

[Yep, it's the Missoni for Target pencils again. Photo my own.]

I chose the two examples at top because I saw a connection with some of the Omega Workshops textiles discussed in this video. Really, I'm seeing all sorts of connections all over town.

[Ewe Man's wrapper (detail), Ghana, strip-woven cotton plainweave, 19th century, Global Patterns: Dress and Textiles in Africa, as seen in Hali, fall 2011.]

[Sheffield Medical building, Atlanta. Photo my own.] 

  

[Another kuba-upholstered chair from the Jayson Home Flea.]

[Sample pages from Frank Ames's book as seen in Hali, fall 2011.]

BTW, also in this issue, Janet Rizvi (author of Pashmina: The Kashmir Shawl and Beyond) gives us a candid review of shawl specialist Frank Ames's book, Woven Masterpieces of Sikh Heritage. And a reminder: the general public is invited to the Global Patterns gallery talk on October 19 at the MFA, Boston.