Designed and executed by Djowari Suko (active 1980s)
Bamana
Mali, Kili
Married Woman's Bògòlanfini Wrapper
INV-1111
Designed and executed by Djowari Suko (active 1980s)
Bamana
Mali, Kili1988
Married Woman's Bògòlanfini Wrapper
Designed and executed by Djowari Suko (active 1980s) Bamana Mali, Kili →bamana20th CenturyArts of Africaafricantextileweaving - printed
Date
1988
Medium
Cotton, eight narrow strips of plain weave; pieced; resist painted and printed
Dimensions
125.7 × 102.9 cm (49 1/2 × 40 1/2 in.); Approximate strip: W.: 12.7 cm (5 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Purchased with funds provided by the Textile Society
This woman’s wrapper, worn tied around the waist as a skirt, was formed from eight strips of plain weave cotton that were dyed and sewn together. The term bògòlanfini means “mud cloth” in Bambara, a language spoken in Mali. Completing a single garment is a multistep process, with men weaving the cloth strips on narrow horizontal looms while women paint the background around the motifs using fermented mud. Bògòlanfini is used for both women’s, and men’s garments and specific geometric designs provide the wearer with protection and signify their status.
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