American Museum of Natural History Research Library
author: American Museum of Natural History

African Textiles (Exhibition)
birth: 1983-06-15
death: 1983-12-04
Exhibition. Opened in June 15, 1983 and closed December 4, 1983. Located in Section 3, Floor 3 in Gallery 3 at the American Museum of Natural History. "African Textiles" was an exhibition providing a comprehensive look at the continent's colorful traditional fabrics, their cultural uses and the technology that produced them.
Summary
"African Textiles" was an exhibition providing a comprehensive look at the continent's colorful traditional fabrics, their cultural uses and the technology that produced them. The exhibition included examples of clothing from a diversity of African cultures including a cotton tonic, or jibbeh from the Sudan. The exhibit illustrated each stage of the process of producing a cloth item and took a close look at looms from different regions. Enid Schildkrout, the then associate curator in the Department of Anthropology, was the exhibition's curator. The exhibition, originally on display at the British Museum (Museum of Mankind), was augmented with pieces from the collections of the Museum and from private collections. In total, there were almost 300 objects and numerous photographs on display. The exhibit was presented in conjunction with the "Britain Salutes New York 1983 Festival" and was on view in Gallery 3 of the American Museum of Natural History from June 15 through December 4, 1983.
Individuals and institutions involved in the creation of the exhibition: British Museum; Enid Schildkrout; AMNH Department of Anthropology