Minneapolis Institute of Art

Panel

Kuba artist

Date

20th century

Medium

Raffia, cut pile embroidery

Culture

Kuba

Department

Arts of Global Africa

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

Cut pile embroidery is produced by several ethnic groups within the Kuba culture, including Bushoong, Shoowa, Ndengese, Ngongo and Ngombe. The different styles are distinguished by characteristics such as the color of the ground cloth, the use of a flat stem stitch and the way in which the cut-pile is used to build up pattern areas. The designs are geometric and rectilinear, utilizing variations of chevrons, squares, triangles, diamonds, interlaced knots and L-shaped motifs. The motifs are symbolic and refer to Kuba creation myths, historical events or ordinary objects such as hoes, tortoises, or shields. Panels such as these are produced primarily for display during funeral rituals and are subsequently used as burial goods. Offered as gifts to the deceased by their clan and by individuals from the village, cut pile embroideries are important symbols of wealth and prestige that reflect not only on the individual, but also on the entire clan. Democratic Republic of the Congo, Africa

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