Mudcloth Brown Textile Mali 77x45inch MATTER COLLECTION

Bogolan, also known as Bogolanfini, is a traditional Malian mud cloth whose name signifies "mud cloth" in the Bamana language. The intricate process involves both men and women: men spin and weave cotton into strips, which are then sewn together to form a large cloth. This cloth is washed, soaked in a leaf mixture, and dried before artisans, traditionally women but now both genders, adorn it with mud dye using spatulas. The designs are outlined, and a repetitive process of dyeing and washing creates rich, layered patterns. Local elements like bleach or soda might be used to adjust colors, and the cloth is finally sun-dried, resulting in a stunning, culturally significant textile ready for use.

Provenance: Matter Collection

From the collection of Margie and Phil Matter. Margie lived in South Africa, and later she and her husband Phil opened a gallery in Tucson. Everything in this collection was in their home for more than thirty years. Africa Direct recently bought the collection; at 95, Margie wants to share the things she has loved so much.

We do not recommend laundering textiles and do not accept returns of textiles which have been laundered in any manner. Even dry cleaning is too much for some of these antique textiles. For some of them, a very gentle HAND wash (NEVER MACHINE, on any setting) in cool water with a very gentle detergent works, but even then, dyes may not be colorfast, and fabric may be less strong than it appears.

156865