Tribal Textiles in Zambia

I recently returned from Zambia. While there, I took the opportunity to visit Tribal Textiles, near Mfuwe.
Driving along a bumpy country road lined with trees, seemingly in the middle of nowhere, there is a signpost for Tribal Textiles. Turning off the main road, you are greeted by white-washed buildings, lush greenery overhanging wooden benches and stone courtyards. The air is cool and fresh under the shade. We stretched our legs, cramped from the long road-trip and walked through the shop and workshops.

Colors pop off of pillow cases and aprons. Bold geometric shapes and traditional patterns cover everything from bedsheets and curtains, to table runners and other home accessories. Everything is made with 100% cotton, designed and painted individually. I first thought the designs were created using Batik, like in Indonesia. But the designs are made using a starch paste that is sun-dried and then hand-painted. Baking the fabric makes it durable in countless washes. We arrived during the mid-day meal break so we missed out seeing the process, but there's a great little video (by Will Benson) that explains the How To part.

Enjoy!

Connecting the dots

As with most people, I am drawn to a variety of things, liking this, that and the other.  I go through stages of fascination for a certain sport, a certain item in my closet, a type of food, a political persona or a TV show, then with the change of season something else catches my eye and I become slightly obsessed (for lack of a better word) with my new found love.  I always think my obsessive loves are independent of each other, each existing on their own, flowing in and out of my life. And yet, somehow they are all connected.

I came across the video below, available on the Marimekko website and I couldn't help but smile. To me, this fantastic little video reminds me of my other big love, experimental film. Hands down, Canada's Norman McLaren is my favorite. Without the use of a camera, McLaren created a unique animation style: wobbly lines, and dots that take on a personality, chasing each other across the screen. I am fascinated by the emotional effect these sounds and simple lines and dots have on the viewer. How is it possible for something so visually simple to make the audience laugh?

 

Although I cannot express in words the precise connection and why I am drawn to both Marimekko's large, colorful prints and McLaren's animations, surely one can see the similarities when they are presented as in the videos above.