Minneapolis Institute of Art

Woman's wrapper

Yoruba artist

Date

1995

Medium

Cotton, stencilled, starch-resist patterning (àdire eleko), dyed

Culture

Yoruba

Department

Global Contemporary Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Àdire isa popular form of surface ornamentation in the Yoruba culture in which designs are created by resist-dye techniques. The method of resist can take several forms; tie dye, stitched patterning, hand painting and stenciling are all commonly used to develop intricate patterns of pale blue on a deep indigo ground. This woman's wrapper is an example of àdire eleko, a technique in which a cassava flour paste is applied to the fabric through a stencil prior to immersing the cloth in the dye bath. When the desired shade of blue is achieved, the paste is rinsed away, revealing the design, and the cloth is dipped once again to tint the background cloth. Nigeria, Africa

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