Minneapolis Institute of Art

Man's cloth

Ewe artist

Date

20th century

Medium

Synthetic, silk, strip woven, supplementary weft patterning

Culture

Ewe

Department

Arts of Global Africa

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

This exquisitely woven piece presents a bit of a conundrum. It has all the characteristics of an Asante cloth except one: it has a formal, Asante-style border, it is brilliantly colorful, and it is made of synthetic and silk threads. It does, however, use a variety of representational motifs, such as the key and umbrella more commonly associated with Ewe weaving, in addition to the geometric designs characteristic of Asante pieces. Is this an Asante weaver stretching tradition or an Ewe weaver combining the best of both styles? Ewe weavers, in general, are known for their industrious nature as well as for possessing a spark of entrepreneurial spirit. Having discerned that the Asante-style cloth currently holds greater popularity in the international marketplace, many Ewe weavers have traveled to Bonwire to learn the Asante techniques and style. It seems very probable that this piece was created by an Ewe weaver in the Asante style. Ghana, Togo, Africa

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