Passion Textile, Storie 19 June - 30 June 2018

STORIE is proud to present an exhibition and sale of rare textiles from the collection of the late Marine Biras. A showcase of exceptional kente from Ghana, and other unique West African narrow strip weaving.

Passion Textile is for collectors, connoisseurs and lovers of all things handmade; interior designers, and for those with an eye for something unique, colour, texture, the authentic. It is an opportunity to see, and buy exceptional examples of rare West African weaving.

Kente and West African Weaving.

This exhibition and sale is primarily made up of Kentes from Ghana from the last century, with some special cloth from other parts of West Africa, including, Togo & Benin.

Kente is a hand woven textile, made on a narrow horizontal loom, to create long strips (between 10 and 14cm wide) of intricate weaving. Traditionally these thin strips of cloth were joined to create a larger piece of fabric to be worn, across the body, almost like a toga.

In Ghana the Kente is a status symbol, a sign of wealth, and in the past office and importance. A noble cloth traditionally worn by kings, chiefs and officials, reserved for special occasions and ceremonies.

Both the colours and designs on a Kente tell a story and special symbolism. Early kentes were in cotton, with designs featuring stripes and mainly natural colours, white, blue, black, using local dyes. Over time the kente has developed with imported colours yarns and materials. Silk yarns embellishing cotton kentes probably developed during the 17th century. The weaving materials and motifs evolved to point that highly complicated cloths were being made entirely out of silk, but only for the most noble clients. Each piece is unique, every weaver imbuing the cloth with their own story, skill and graphic design.

The collection of Marine Biras contains beautiful examples of Kente weaving, from different periods, both in cotton and in silk. Colours and designs vary from a simple refined blue and white cotton stripe, to magnificent juxtapositions of colour and motif.

For further information on the collection please contact Fiona Cameron [email protected]

*Black and white photograph of a Chief and his Wife, Dodowa, Ghana | Prior to 1917 ?Historical photographs from Basel Mission. Names of subjects and photographer unknown