Exploring Issues of Authenticity and Identity

Bogolanfini (mud cloth)

Mali; Bamana peoples

Mid 20^th century

Cotton, dye made from leaves and mud

Collection of Barbara and Bill McCann

 

Frankaa (asafo flag) 

Ghana; Fante peoples

20^th century, cotton

Collection of Barbara and Bill McCann

This week we discussed issues of authenticity and shifting identities as they relate to the African textiles in the Conversation Pieces exhibition.  One piece that caught our attention was the bogolanfini (“mud cloth”) from the Bamana peoples of Mali. Initially made by women and used as forms of protection during important moments of transition, bogolanfini are now frequently created by men in a variety of forms that include canvas paintings, Western-style clothing, and tourist art.  In many of these new contexts, complex motifs that originally communicated cultural knowledge have been adapted and simplified to appeal to Western tastes.

Another piece that stimulated discussion amongst our class was the asafo flag from the Fante peoples of Ghana.  Made to promote the identity of individual social organizations and record their histories, these flags became very popular among North American and European collectors during the late twentieth century.  As a result, flags began to flood the market.  Older flags were sold by asafo associations (in some cases to raise money for their activities) and new flags were produced for sale – some of which were artificially aged to increase their value.

The broader histories of cloths like these raise issues about authenticity and identity.  Are textiles created for external markets inauthentic or can they stand as works of art in their own right?   How have changing materials, producers and forms impacted the ways these pieces are valued and interpreted by different consumers? 

Yinka Shonibare’s Mr. and Mrs. Andrews without their heads (1998), on loan for the exhibition from the National Gallery of Canada, addresses similar issues in unique ways.  To learn more about this work go to:

http://cybermuse.gallery.ca/cybermuse/search/artwork_e.jsp?mkey=52528