Panel c. 20th century

This textile panel was created by a Zarma artist, using a combination of wool and cotton. The arrangement of these bold, colorful blocks is not purely decorative. Textiles such as this one were made in Niger, West Africa and were originally used as room dividers. Looking at the composition, the shapes and their organization could well be a visual language representing genealogies and important events within the community. What we see as abstract may well have been legible for the initiated. When considering an artwork like this, we have to ask ourselves what assumptions we bring from our own culture, from our own institutions of art. Studying the culture of origin, including religious beliefs, social hierarchies, and trade networks is essential. The history of museums also shapes how we interpret such works, often separating them from their original contexts.