Panel c. 1985

This panel was created by an artist from the Senufo people, and made using cotton and dye. The cotton was likely cultivated, spun, and woven by hand, a labor-intensive process central to Senufo cultural identity. The material has a coarse, unrefined quality. It's been dyed in a rich dark brown, contrasting sharply with the undyed cotton, which may have been achieved through a resist technique. Notice how the dye outlines stylized animals, each rendered with careful detail and variation – gazelles, birds, and other creatures fill the textile. This panel's significance extends beyond aesthetics. These textiles are deeply embedded in social practices, used in initiations and other ritual contexts. The animal imagery often carries symbolic weight, referencing ancestral spirits and the natural world. Understanding this artwork requires acknowledging the skill and effort inherent in its production, connecting it to broader themes of labor, community, and belief.