Panel c. 20th century

Editor: This is a "Panel," made around the 20th century by an Ewe artist. It’s a mixed-media piece with cotton and various woven fibers. It's currently held at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It really strikes me with its almost quilt-like structure, and the vibrant geometric patterns are mesmerizing. What kind of symbolism or cultural meaning might be embedded in a work like this? Curator: These textiles are much more than just visually appealing; they’re dense with symbolic meaning within the Ewe culture. Weaving in West Africa is not simply a craft; it’s a language, a way to inscribe cultural memory and values onto cloth. Do you notice the recurring motifs, those rectangular shapes? Editor: Yes, they look almost like abstracted houses or maybe even village layouts. Curator: Precisely! The arrangement, the colours chosen – all of these contribute to the narrative. Think of the colors; certain colors could represent royalty, spirituality, or even specific clans. Each woven element tells a story, encoding social status, philosophical beliefs, or historical events. What emotions do the colors evoke for you? Editor: Definitely warmth, joy maybe. And because they're so geometric, it feels ordered and structured too, which I find interesting since the panel itself is kind of oddly shaped. It’s like controlled chaos. Curator: Controlled chaos...that’s an insightful way to describe it. These textiles acted as powerful symbols of identity and prestige, serving as markers of cultural continuity in a changing world. So much is in the threads of that fabric, and each part, shape and color come together in unity. Editor: It’s incredible to think of how much history and meaning can be woven into a single object, how cultural stories persist visually! I'll never look at a textile the same way again. Curator: Absolutely. Seeing this has offered an intimate peek into cultural memory, woven thread by thread. It bridges time and connects us to the artistry and intentions of its creators.