A Culmination of East and West: The Historical Interaction of the East and West Illustrated Through the Merge of Nigerian Ankara Inspired Textile with the Fashion Trends of 1441, 1863, 1960, 2009

Presenter Information

Oluwabusola Duroshola, Minnesota State University, Mankato

Location

CSU 201

Start Date

6-4-2010 8:00 AM

End Date

6-4-2010 10:00 AM

Student's Major

Art

Student's College

Arts and Humanities

Mentor's Name

Erik Waterkotte

Mentor's Department

Art

Mentor's College

Arts and Humanities

Second Mentor's Name

Mathew Willemsen

Second Mentor's Department

Art

Second Mentor's College

Arts and Humanities

Description

This abstract examined the historical impact of the East and West through the juxtaposition of Nigerian Ankara inspired textile and popular Western fashion trends of 1441, 1863, 1960 and 2009. Through this juxtaposition, the work represents America as the merging ground of two historically related cultures. Each historical date studied within this research project represent a major historical happening between the East and the West. They include; the Atlantic Slave trade of 1441, the Emancipation Proclamation declaration of 1863, the civil rights movement of the 1960s, and the inauguration of the first African-American president of the United States of America of 2009. Two major research strategies were used; (1) an extensive research on various colors, patterns, and materials used to produce Ankara and (2) the examination of popular fashion trends of the West. This research project serves as a visually representation of the historical interaction between the East and West, illustrated through the merge of Nigerian Ankara inspired textile with the fashion trend of 1441, 1863, 1960 and 2009. The product of this unification is the representation of the historical growth between two cultures.