Mudcloth Bogolanfini Dress SUPERB Mali African Start Price USD 65.00 Current Price USD 65.00 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Wednesday, October 01, 2008 End Time Friday, October 31, 2008 Location Denver, CO See more about 'Mudcloth Bogolanfini Dress SUPERB Mali African' Description Mudcloth Bogolanfini Dress SUPERB Mali AfricanType of Object: Cloth, fabric, textileEthnic Group: BamanaCountry of Origin: MaliMaterials: Cotton. Dyes made from mud and leaves.Dimensions: As worn: 40 Inches Sleeve to sleeve; 50 Inches LongOverall Condition: Good, Slightly frayed, occasionally uneven edges. Additional Information:  Dress made in Bamana mudcloth Bogolanfini style. Bogolan or Bogolanfini is Malian name for the traditional African mud cloth made in Mali. In the Bamana language, the term "Bogolan" or "Bogolanfini" means Mud cloth in English. The same term is also applied to the process of making these cloths. "Bogo means earth or mud, lan means with or by means of and fini means cloth. To make this cloth the artist uses a hand spun and hand woven cloth on which he/she adds designs of his/her choice. The process of producing these textiles is very long and involves both men and women. The cloth is handspun and handwoven by men who use local cotton and small strip looms. The strips produced are sewn together to make a large cloth. Almost ten strips are needed in order to get a normal wrapper size cloth. Each strip is around 5 to 6 inches wide. In traditional practice, the sewer joins the strips using needle and thread, and in more recent times the artist works with a hand-operated sewing machine.The finished cloth is then washed off and dried in the sun. The dried cloth is soaked in a mixture of pounded leaves from local trees. Once dried, the cloth is ready to receive the mud dye and its decorations. Traditionally, women were in charge of decorating the cloth. Today both men and women can decorate a cloth. With a small bamboo or metal spatula, the artist draws the designs on the dried cloth using a pre-mixed mud dye. After that the cloth is washed to remove any excess mud from the design process. Each design is outlined one more time. The artist repeats this process to get a better result. Local bleach or soda is applied on yellow areas to make the patterns lighter. The textile is then dried in the sun and ready to use or to cut and make a dress such as this. There is a variety of mudcloth styles across Mali. Patterns on mudcloth vary from one cloth to another and from one region or workshop to another. According to the region, designs and colors on mudcloth held specific names and meanings. They are works of workshops across the country. Patterns and colors may have much to do with gender, social status, or personal taste. Some of the patterns are purely decorative. In various regions textiles with bright colors compete with the traditional black and white (or creamy) cloth commonly found in Bamako, the capitol of Mali. Today, these Bogolanfini textiles have become a symbol of creativity in Bamana culture. Known internationally, Bogolanfini motifs have inspired the world-class fashion industries.Recommended Reading: - Imperato, Pascal James and Marli Shamir, " Bokolanfini: Mudcloth of the Bamana of Mali", African Arts vol.3 # 4, Summer 1070:32-42 - Renewing Tradition. The revitalization of Bogolan Mali and Abroad. The University of Iowa Museum of Art, Catalog of Exhibition, 2000- Rovine Victoria. "Bogolanfini in Bamako: The biography of a Malian Textile" African Arts, Vol. 30 #1, Winter 1997: 40-51, 94-96 **041329** All content, including pictures, Copyright Africa Direct Inc., 2006 Add Us To Your Favorite Sellers! Please visit our About Us page. SquareTrade © AP6.0 PesaMember Place a Bid!