Master weavers and other specialists from the Asante peoples of Ghana, the Hausa, Nupe and Yoruba peoples of Nigeria as well as the Malagasy peoples of Madagascar created the examples of silk on display at the museum.
Short films streaming in the gallery show the life cycle of silkworms and how silk is harvested and woven into cloth.
In Africa, fibers were acquired through trade and cultivation or were harvested from cocoons found in the forest. Silk garments with distinctive patterns and colors are worn for ceremonial events and by the most prestigious people in society.
Dr. Roslyn A. Walker, the DMA’s Senior Curator of the Arts of Africa, the Americas and the Pacific, The Margaret McDermott Curator of African Art and curator of this exhibition, talks about silk in Africa, its attributes, and its influence around the world.