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Africa Fashion
Africa Fashion opens at the Portland Art Museum after acclaimed runs at London鈥檚 Victoria and Albert Museum and the Brooklyn Museum. This first-of-its-kind exhibition, making its only West Coast stop at PAM, honors the irresistible creativity, ingenuity, and unstoppable global impact of contemporary African fashions. Garments and textiles dating from the mid-twentieth century to the present day, contextualized by a range of cultural touchstones such as Drum magazines, Fela Kuti record albums, and studio photography from Sanl茅 Sory, celebrate the transformative and liberatory power of self-fashioning. The New Yorker鈥檚 art critic Hilton Als called Africa Fashion a 鈥渧ital and necessary exhibition.鈥�
The exuberance and cosmopolitan nature of the contemporary African fashion scene unfolds through more than 50 outfits designed by over 40 designers hailing from 21 countries, who are shifting the geography of the global fashion world. Elegant minimalist garments by Mmusomaxwell, Katush, and Moshions push back on stereotypes that African fashions are exclusively colorful and brightly patterned; knitwear by Maxhosa echoes traditional Xhosa beadwork patterns; shimmering silk and layers of raffia combine in a fuchsia pink couture outfit by Imane Ayissi; and striking ensembles by Selly Raby Kane and Bull Doff reference Afro Futurism.
鈥淎frica Fashion means the past, the future and the present at the same time,鈥� said fashion designer Artsi, founder of Moroccan design house Maison ArtC. 鈥淭he joy of life and the joy of colour is completely different and very particular to the continent. It鈥檚 a language of heritage, it鈥檚 a language of DNA, it鈥檚 a language of memories.鈥�
Africa Fashion employs a cross-cultural and cross-continental approach throughout the exhibition galleries, centering multiple and varied African voices and perspectives. Starting with the African independence and the liberation years that sparked a radical political and social reordering across the continent, the exhibition explores how fashion, alongside music and the visual arts, formed a key part of Africa鈥檚 cultural renaissance, laying the foundation for today鈥檚 fashion revolution. A section on textiles presents vintage woven kente cloth alongside printed kanga cloths and Dutch Wax cottons, showing how the making and wearing of traditional textiles in the moment of independence became a strategic political act.
During this period, groundbreaking designers worked fluidly both on the continent and internationally. Garments included in the exhibition by vanguard creatives Alphadi (b.1957), Kofi Ansah (1951-2014), Na茂ma Bennis (1940-2008), Shade Thomas-Fahm (b.1933), and Chris Seydou (1949-1994), embody the artistic expression of the cultural renaissance.
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Africa Fashion opens at the Portland Art Museum after acclaimed runs at London鈥檚 Victoria and Albert Museum and the Brooklyn Museum. This first-of-its-kind exhibition, making its only West Coast stop at PAM, honors the irresistible creativity, ingenuity, and unstoppable global impact of contemporary African fashions. Garments and textiles dating from the mid-twentieth century to the present day, contextualized by a range of cultural touchstones such as Drum magazines, Fela Kuti record albums, and studio photography from Sanl茅 Sory, celebrate the transformative and liberatory power of self-fashioning. The New Yorker鈥檚 art critic Hilton Als called Africa Fashion a 鈥渧ital and necessary exhibition.鈥�
The exuberance and cosmopolitan nature of the contemporary African fashion scene unfolds through more than 50 outfits designed by over 40 designers hailing from 21 countries, who are shifting the geography of the global fashion world. Elegant minimalist garments by Mmusomaxwell, Katush, and Moshions push back on stereotypes that African fashions are exclusively colorful and brightly patterned; knitwear by Maxhosa echoes traditional Xhosa beadwork patterns; shimmering silk and layers of raffia combine in a fuchsia pink couture outfit by Imane Ayissi; and striking ensembles by Selly Raby Kane and Bull Doff reference Afro Futurism.
鈥淎frica Fashion means the past, the future and the present at the same time,鈥� said fashion designer Artsi, founder of Moroccan design house Maison ArtC. 鈥淭he joy of life and the joy of colour is completely different and very particular to the continent. It鈥檚 a language of heritage, it鈥檚 a language of DNA, it鈥檚 a language of memories.鈥�
Africa Fashion employs a cross-cultural and cross-continental approach throughout the exhibition galleries, centering multiple and varied African voices and perspectives. Starting with the African independence and the liberation years that sparked a radical political and social reordering across the continent, the exhibition explores how fashion, alongside music and the visual arts, formed a key part of Africa鈥檚 cultural renaissance, laying the foundation for today鈥檚 fashion revolution. A section on textiles presents vintage woven kente cloth alongside printed kanga cloths and Dutch Wax cottons, showing how the making and wearing of traditional textiles in the moment of independence became a strategic political act.
During this period, groundbreaking designers worked fluidly both on the continent and internationally. Garments included in the exhibition by vanguard creatives Alphadi (b.1957), Kofi Ansah (1951-2014), Na茂ma Bennis (1940-2008), Shade Thomas-Fahm (b.1933), and Chris Seydou (1949-1994), embody the artistic expression of the cultural renaissance.
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The spirit of creative collaboration is on display in gallery and museum shows this fall and winter.
Africa Fashion opened at the Portland Art Museum on November 18 after acclaimed runs at London鈥檚 Victoria and Albert Museum and the Brooklyn Museum.
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