Cloth
early 1990s (designed and made)
| Place of origin |
Factory-produced, imitation wax-resist print fabrics, known as ‘fancy fabrics’ or ‘fancy prints’, were first introduced into Africa from Europe in the 1920s and 1930s. These cotton cloths typically combine photographic elements, large blocks of colour and geometric patterning. Commemorative cloths like the Mandela design sit within this genre. They are specially produced in very large quantities to celebrate and document significant personal, local, national and international events.
Numerous commemorative cloths featuring a portrait of Nelson Mandela, (1918-2013), co-organizer of the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League and democratic South Africa’s first Black president. These have been produced in Africa, Europe and, more recently, in China.This particular Mandela cloth was first manufactured in the early 1990s following his release and continues to be popular today. Mandela’s presidency ran from 10 May 1994 to 16 June 1999.
The cloth was made in the early 1990s and purchased at an anti-apartheid fundraising event held at Camden Town Hall, London. Such fundraising events were not unusual. Across Britain, from the mid-1980s to the fall of the apartheid system in 1994, grass roots and left-of-centre organisations campaigned for South Africa’s return to Black majority rule.
Numerous commemorative cloths featuring a portrait of Nelson Mandela, (1918-2013), co-organizer of the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League and democratic South Africa’s first Black president. These have been produced in Africa, Europe and, more recently, in China.This particular Mandela cloth was first manufactured in the early 1990s following his release and continues to be popular today. Mandela’s presidency ran from 10 May 1994 to 16 June 1999.
The cloth was made in the early 1990s and purchased at an anti-apartheid fundraising event held at Camden Town Hall, London. Such fundraising events were not unusual. Across Britain, from the mid-1980s to the fall of the apartheid system in 1994, grass roots and left-of-centre organisations campaigned for South Africa’s return to Black majority rule.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Printed cotton |
| Brief description | Commemorative cloth, Mandela photograph, silkscreen printed cotton, manufactured by Nkosi Traditional Fabrics CC, Akasia, South Africa, early 1990s |
| Physical description | Rectangular cloth, screenprinted with multicoloured design. Mandela’s portrait in is the centre, flanked by the ANC logo of a shield with a right hand holding the party’s flag flying from a spear, and pairs of large and small wheels.Narrow bands of black, green and yellow from the ANC flag appear above a repeat pattern of wheels that symbolize industry and political progress. Beneath the wheels, floating on a green ground with an imitation batik crackle-effect, a series of ANC slogans are displayed in capital letters: ‘A BETTER LIFE FOR ALL · WORKING TOEGTHER FOR JOBS, PEACE AND FREEDOM’. The wide bottom border incorporates the manufacturer’s symbol on the lower selvedge. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Production type | Mass produced |
| Gallery label | As African nations achieved independence, commemorative cloths with photographs of political leaders and messages of protest and celebration were rapidly produced. Commissioned by political agents as tools of propaganda and celebration, these cloths were cheap to make and accessible to a wide audience. They were sold across the continent and the diaspora. Building on the established tradition of wearing printed commemorative cloth, they served as highly visible expressions of shared identity, ideals and concerns. V&A, Room 40, Africa Fashion (2/7/2022 - 16/04/2023) |
| Credit line | Given by Christine Checinska |
| Summary | Factory-produced, imitation wax-resist print fabrics, known as ‘fancy fabrics’ or ‘fancy prints’, were first introduced into Africa from Europe in the 1920s and 1930s. These cotton cloths typically combine photographic elements, large blocks of colour and geometric patterning. Commemorative cloths like the Mandela design sit within this genre. They are specially produced in very large quantities to celebrate and document significant personal, local, national and international events. Numerous commemorative cloths featuring a portrait of Nelson Mandela, (1918-2013), co-organizer of the African National Congress (ANC) Youth League and democratic South Africa’s first Black president. These have been produced in Africa, Europe and, more recently, in China.This particular Mandela cloth was first manufactured in the early 1990s following his release and continues to be popular today. Mandela’s presidency ran from 10 May 1994 to 16 June 1999. The cloth was made in the early 1990s and purchased at an anti-apartheid fundraising event held at Camden Town Hall, London. Such fundraising events were not unusual. Across Britain, from the mid-1980s to the fall of the apartheid system in 1994, grass roots and left-of-centre organisations campaigned for South Africa’s return to Black majority rule. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.2430-2021 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | May 13, 2021 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
