commemorative cloths

Colourful African commemorative cloths in the Tropenmuseum

In the exhibition ‘Long Live the President!’ the Tropenmuseum showcases a colourful, contemporary African textile tradition. Key figures in the continent’s modern history are featured on more than 100 commemorative cloths. The cloths include portraits of individuals who have played an important role in the relatively short history of over 30 African countries, from Senegal to South Africa. Many prominent Africans have been immortalised on textile, including Nkrumah, Mobutu and Mandela, along with beloved visitors such as Pope John Paul II and Barack Obama. The exhibition runs from 2 April to 29 August 2010.
Important people and significant events are honoured with a special cloth in virtually every African country. Textile is used to commemorate everything from independence treaties to presidential elections, visits from heads of state and deaths of family members in bold, colourful patterns. The cloths are sold at markets or given to followers, party or family members.
The commemorative cloths are often worn by women as a wrapper. In some cases they are cut into shirts or costumes. The exhibition ‘Long Live the President!’ includes an outfit that incorporates dozens of images of Nelson Mandela. The cloths serve as propaganda and as a memento. They are generally worn for a short period of time and saved for posterity.
Dutch roots
The design and production of commemorative cloths for the African market began over 80 years ago. Business in printed textile was booming at the time. European textile merchants had begun exploring the African market at the end of the 19th century. The Netherlands played a key role: Vlisco, a textile manufacturer in Helmond, still produces “Dutch wax” prints for the African market. The printing technique was developed to imitate the Indonesian batik style. Although wax printing was used to produce the earliest African portrait cloths it was quickly replaced by so called “fancy print” textiles. Fancy print technology allows for more details. Today, the majority of commemorative cloths are produced in Africa.
A unique parade
The exhibition in the Tropenmuseum presents over 115 cloths from more than 30 countries. The oldest was printed in 1957, when Ghana became the first independent country in Africa. The most recent cloths include tributes to Jacob Zuma and Michael Jackson from 2009. Together the cloths provide a survey of important political leaders from independent Africa as well as insight into propaganda techniques, fashion trends, the attention paid to “big” figures, and the formation of national identities.
African portrait cloths are a form of popular culture that is both appealing and little known; at the same time, they offer an intriguing socio-historical document. The cloths are presented alongside photographs, film clips, music and information about the people and events depicted. The cloths are from the Tropenmuseum’s collection and several private collections.
Publication
The exhibit also includes a lavishly illustrated companion publication in English. The book contains a concise history of the production and evolution of African commemorative portrait cloths and large-scale reproductions of the most notable cloths from the exhibition. Price: €19.50.