Headdress (taounza) c. 20th century

This is a headdress, or taounza, made by Ida ou Semlal Amazigh. It's difficult to say exactly when it was made, but the materials are silver, enamel, and glass. It’s a beautiful thing, isn’t it? There is something so joyful about the colour palette; the acid yellow against the leafy green, the pop of ruby in the center, that pale bubblegum pink. The silverwork is so intricate, but it's the enamel that really sings. It’s not perfect, you can see where it bleeds a little, it gives it such a lovely, handmade feel. There’s a sense of play here, in the balance of colours and shapes. And that’s what art’s all about, isn’t it? Playing, experimenting, seeing what happens when you put one thing next to another. Like the work of Liza Lou, this headdress shows us that there is a way of making that celebrates decoration, and the labour of the handmade.