Next year, the Museum of Man will devote a exposition au waxthis iconic African fabric whose popularity has gone beyond the borders of the continent! Titled Between inheritance and reappropriationthis event opens its doors in February 2025.
In the world of fabrics that have become cult and instantly recognizable, there is tartan, toile de Jouy and even wax. Adorned with bright colors and very strong patterns, wax is the fabric associated with Africa !
Omnipresent in the western part of the continent (Senegal, Ivory Coast, etc.), wax has, over the past ten years, made a golden place in world of fashion and decoration western. Diverted from its traditional uses, it can be found everywhere and is now available on canvas tennis shoes, jumpsuits and tailored skirts for women, chairs, plates and tote bags!
Everything, you will know (finally) everything about wax
With its next exhibition, the second part of the Migrations cycle, the Museum of Man will be interested in this fabric, to its history and recent popularity.
Wax, between heritage and reappropriation will shed light on the Indonesian origins of the fabric little known to the general public, on its manufacture, its trajectory to West Africa and its spread on the continent! This will be an opportunity to see a multitude of fabrics parade through amazing patternsto admire its boundless creativity and to grasp the symbolism of certain models bearers of demands, messages or community markers.
Other issues will also be addressed, such as commercialisation and theindustrialisation of this coveted fabric for decades or its quasi-monopoly position on the African fabric market. Finally, contemporary artists and fashion designers (Omar Victor Diop, Gombo Wax, Thandiwe Muriu, etc.) will look at this fabric and its multiple facets.
???? Address: Museum of Man
17 Place du Trocadéro et du 11 Novembre, 75116 Paris
???? Date: February 5 to September 7, 2025
????️ Entrance: €20 full price
More information on the Museum of Man
