Talking kente cloth.Kente ken·te n. 1. A brightly patterned, handwoven ceremonial cloth of the Ashanti. 2. A durable machine-woven fabric similar to this fabric, prominently featured in Afrocentric fashion. cloth is one of the most widely known African textiles African textiles are a part of African cultural heritage that came to America along with the slave trade. As many slaves were skilled in the weaving, this skill was used as another form of income for the slave owner. . Traditionally woven on hand looms, kente cloth is created in 4" (10 cm) strips and then sewn sewn v. A past participle of sew. sewn Verb a past participle of sew Adj. 1. together to create larger fabric pieces. The colors, patterns and symbols woven into kente cloth represent specific meanings within the culture of Ghana Ghana is a country of 22 million people comprising over 60 ethnic groups. Fifty two major languages and hundreds of dialects are spoken in Ghana, and English, the official language of Ghana, is spoken by many. . A person well-versed in the history and folklore of Ghana can read the specific meanings represented in the fabrics' patterns and colors of kente cloth. Kente cloth collectively refers to the weavings of two groups of people in Ghana, the Asante (Ah-shan-tay) and the Ewe (Ay-vay). Asante weavings are primarily abstract designs, while in the Ewe one finds recognizable motifs and symbols. The Art Problem I wanted my students to be able to appreciate the visual communication found in the color and pattern symbolism of the kente textiles. As a project, students created their own iconography iconography (ī'kŏnŏg`rəfē) [Gr.,=image-drawing] or iconology [Gr.,=image-study], in art history, the study and interpretation of figural representations, either individual or symbolic, religious or secular; of colors not of the white race; - commonly meaning, esp. in the United States, of negro blood, pure or mixed. See also: Color , patterns, and personal symbols on narrow strips of painted canvas. To reinforce the final assembly of kente cloth, students' samples were arranged into large collective artworks. In order to understand various ways color, pattern, and symbolism are used by weavers in Ghana, students studied reproductions of kente cloth as well as a handmade hand·made adj. Made or prepared by hand rather than by machine. handmade Adjective made by hand, not by machine Adj. 1. sample woven strip. Next, students completed several color and design exercises. The first one was to make a color scheme chart and to assign personal meaning to their selected colors. These colors would be used later on in their project. Design Next, students used broad-tip black markers to create several line pattern sequences. The emphasis was on creating a variety of patterns using assorted line types and directions, all within a 4 x 4" design area. Finally, students created personal symbols. The designs for this were to reflect some positive aspect of their character, interests, goals, or personal history. An option was to create a logo that combined their initials. After completing these exercises, students were ready to begin their painted kente cloths. The final painted cloth was planned to be 8" wide and 24" long, plus a 1" (2.5 cm) hanging sleeve. With a pencil and ruler, students divided an 8 x 27" piece of primed canvas in half vertically. Then they measured down 3" (8 cm) from the top to allow for the hanging sleeve. To create the sleeve, fold the top 1" of the canvas over to the back and glue down the edge. Keeping the vertical pencil line down the middle as a divider divider See European currency quotation. , students marked off the two column areas into random 4 x 4" and 4 x 8" sections. These sections became the students' areas of painted patterns and personal logos. Students were urged to keep their patterns focused on line groupings to help their canvases resemble the woven kente cloth. Most students began by painting background colors as well as their hanging sleeves Strips of the same stuff as the gown, hanging down the back from the shoulders. Loose, flowing sleeves. See also: Hanging Hanging . Then, referencing their line pattern exercises and their selected color schemes, they used assorted brushes to create their painted kente cloths. One area was saved for their personal logo, which was painted in their own style. Combined Impact When the individual cloths were completed, they were displayed collectively in groupings. The combining of many cloths together helped students to visualize the assembling of the individual kente cloth strips into their final form as a larger cloth. This combined artwork also came to visually symbolize the unity of the students themselves as a class. They saw not only the visual impact of their diverse individual canvas strips, but also a larger visual community created when their designs were connected into a larger artwork. Each student's work visually spoke with personalized per·son·al·ize tr.v. per·son·al·ized, per·son·al·iz·ing, per·son·al·iz·es 1. To take (a general remark or characterization) in a personal manner. 2. To attribute human or personal qualities to; personify. colors, patterns, and symbols. Displayed together as a unit, it became a chorus of visual dialogue. This project was part of a fibers unit I taught on basic weaving. The students' small, flat, loom loom, frame or machine used for weaving; there is evidence that the loom has been in use since 4400 B.C. Modern looms are of two types, those with a shuttle (the part that carries the weft through the shed) and those without; the latter draw the weft from a weavings were a perfect companion project to the more complex painted kente cloths. Students enjoyed both learning the basic structure of loom weaving and the more complex designing for their painted "weavings." Materials and Resources * broad-tip markers * 9 x 12 (23 x 30.5) sketch paper * primed canvas, cut into 8 x 27" (20 x 69 cm) strips * assorted colors of acrylic paints * assorted sizes of acrylic brushes * palettes * white glue * dowels (optional for hanging sleeves) * reproductions of kente cloth * sample of kente cloth Resources Adler, Peter and Nicholas Barnard, African Majesty. London: Thames & Hudson, 1992. Ahiagble, Gilbert, and Louise Meyer, Master Weaver from Ghana. Greensboro, NC: Open Hand Publishing, 1998. NATIONAL STANDARD Students analyze relationships of works of art to one another in terms of history, aesthetics, and culture, justifying conclusions made in the analysis and using such conclusions to inform their own art-making. WEB LINKS www.ghana.com/republic/kente www.marshall.edu/akanart/kentecloth Sharon Wall is an art teacher at Altoona Area High School Altoona Area High School is the public high school for the Altoona Area School District. The high school is located in Altoona, Blair County. The high school serves the populations living in Altoona, Logan Township, and a small portion of Tyrone Township. in Altoona, Pennsylvania Altoona is a city in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the principal city of the Altoona, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 49,523 at the 2000 census. . |
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