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Yellow, dark green and black with dots; Mosque motif. Printed Swahili inscription on cloth, Yote yatenndawayo namkabidhi Mola" - all who are well-treated are entrusted to God" or alternately, [literal] "all that is acted upon / happens to me is entrusted to God"
Cloth (kanga)
Courtesy of the Harn Museum of Art, Photography by Randy Batista

Cloth (kanga)

Maker Urafiki Tanzania
Date2010
Place of originTanzania
PurchasedDar es Salaam, Tanzania, Africa
MediumCommercially printed cotton cloth
Dimensions40 in. x 10 ft. 4 in. (101.6 x 315 cm)
ClassificationsTextiles
Credit LineGift of James and MacKenzie Ryan
Object number2012.38.2
Collections
Visual DescriptionYellow, dark green and black with dots; Mosque motif. Printed Swahili inscription on cloth, Yote yatenndawayo namkabidhi Mola" - all who are well-treated are entrusted to God" or alternately, [literal] "all that is acted upon / happens to me is entrusted to God"
Flower motif in yellow with purple and black on white field. Swahili inscription reads: "Mungu hana likizo" (God doesn't take holidays)
Cloth (kanga)
Urafiki Tanzania
2010
Peacock with feathers and floral border; yellow, bright blue and yellow on white field; Swahili inscription reads: "Neno la mungu ni la milele" (Words of God are eternal).
Cloth (kanga)
Urafiki Tanzania
2010
Red and white and black paisleu (cashew) pattern, with center medallion; Swahili inscription reads: "Mungu atupe furaha daima" (God (should) give us happiness always)
Cloth (kanga)
Lesso
2010
Cloth (kanga)
Cloth (kanga)
Textile Mills Tnz. Ltd.
2010
A long sleeve caftan/dress sewn from strips of wax print fabric likely Chinese imports and Woodin (a company that locally produces fabric in Ghana). The bodice of the caftan features horizontal strips, whereas the skirt of the dress relies on vertical strips. Each strip is formed from a mixture of long strips of fabric, interspersed with small squares of fabric. The caftan includes a designer label, which states: “Cloth on cloth designs by Tei Huagie, made in Ghana”.
"Cloth on Cloth" Caftan
Tei Mensah Huagie
2000
Black-and-white print of two faces with raised, expressive hands. Below the drawing, red text reads "FOR THE YEAR OF THE INSANE", followed by two columns of the poem by Anne Sexton: O Mary, fragile mother, hear me, hear me now although I do not know your words. The black rosary with its silver Christ lies unblessed in my hand for I am the unbeliever. Each bead is round and hard between my fingers, a small black angel. O Mary, permit me this grace, this crossing over, although I am ugly, submer…
For the Year of the Insane
Barbara Swan
1967
A boat-shaped incense container with the seven gods of happiness standing a boat deck, all rendered in amazing detail with a spectacular light gray-green glaze.
Incense container (kogo 香合)
Masaki Hanjiro
Edo period (1615-1868)
image of a mermaid with dark hair, who is surrounded by fish, and holding a spoon over a bowl of food supported by fish; the background has gray columns on a field of light blue. Inscription in white on the black frame, bottom, is .. Mami Wata is a spirit who lives in the sea will ruin your Life and you will go to hell. Go to Jesus Christ..." Signature on lower right corner reads: Kwame Akoto, Almighty God Artworks, Kumasi.
Mami Wata is a Mermaid Spirit who Lives in the Sea
Kwame Akoto
2010
Mixed media photographic collage of various elements depicting a woman from a 19th-century portrait with text overlay; same woman wearing a bonnet overlaid with food (cereal?) in a bowl; and same woman again with an American flag behind her and a structure overlaid; all three overlaying various cultural elements.
Homage to My Ancestors, III
Del Zogg
1976
Glaucus and Scylla
Glaucus and Scylla
Salvator Rosa
c. 1661
Bound to El Norte
Bound to El Norte
Don Bartletti
2000; print 2021
Agony
Agony
Don Bartletti
2000; print 2021

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