Since I don't normally associate fashion with science and technology, it was difficult to correlate this type of art form to the concepts we've been learning in class. As I perused through the exhibits, I eventually recognized various applications of technology being used to produce the vibrant colored designs.
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| Flyer and advertising poster at the entrance of Fowler |
To start off, I discovered that certain African cloths are produced by a mechanized process that creates a variety of print types such as Java, "Fancy", and Wax. Java prints are produced through high-quality roller printing, using engraved metal roller to deeply penetrate the colors into the fabric. "Fancy" prints can be produced with rotary screen printing, which is more cost effective because it outputs at a faster rate. However, these prints can vary in terms of quality as a trade-off. Wax prints are made through a combination of resin mixture and a duplex-roller system to produce a foundation pattern that would later be modified by hand or either one of the earlier mentioned printing methods. These manufacturing processes connect to concepts from (Week 3: Robotics + Art) since machines are playing a prominent role in mass-producing these colorful textiles, like Ford conceptualized with industrialization.
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| wax print (right); java print (left) from Vlisco Museum (Netherlands) |
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| Video of Vlisco Factory textile machine initiating printing |
Cameras were used to produce photographs of these various rural villagers in West Africa as means of "self-presentation" in the 60s-70s. We don't really consider cameras as "machines" anymore, as they're now easily accessible on our mobile phones and commonly used throughout our daily lives. Even in the late 70s, people later possessed their own personal cameras and no longer needed to rely on portrait studios. Nonetheless, the use of this "machine" (Week 3: Robotics+Art) is essential to the art of photography.
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| Portraits of rural West African villagers taken by traveling photographers |
Clothing can also be made-to-order by various seamstresses and tailors. This is especially common in West Africa where women would usually give a reference/style to their tailor to transform. Through globalization and social media, people can look to various designs throughout the world to recreate and adapt to their personal tastes. Since my grandmother was a seamstress, I remembered that crafting custom-made clothing requires a plethora of measurements and planning to produce the desired design that fits the wearer's dimensions (Week 2 - Math + Art). A sewing machine might even be involved to facilitate and mechanize the process.
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| Dress fashion in Cameroon |
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| Seamstresses for custom-made clothing |
Overall, all the fabrics were visually appealing and it was intriguing reading about the various technologies and methods that were used to produce the textiles. I've also gained a better sense of awareness of the prominence of machines and mathematics that supports the designs and styles (Week 1 - Two Cultures). I would recommend to check out these designs as soon as you can before it has to leave the admission-free Fowler Museum after July 30th.
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The Kehinde II, a man's sport coat designed by Wale Oyejide
(my favorite design, one of the few men's outfits displayed) |
Sources
African-Print Fashion Now! A Story of Taste, Globalization, and Style.” Fowler Museum, 2017, www.fowler.ucla.edu/exhibitions/african-print-fashion-now/. Accessed 7 June 2017.
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