During my residency at Villa Strauli, I visited factories in Lustenau, Austria and St.Gallen, Switzerland where laces (embroidered textiles) are produced for the Nigerian market. Engaging the collections of these factories was the point of departure for my work
HOH factory- Lustenau |
Mr Claudio La Cioppa at the factory |
While there I was curious to know how designs are generated and what influenced their choices of themes. I was told that the designs are developed, collectively, by the Nigerian textile merchants and the company’s design team. More interesting, the Nigerians don't buy designs with African patterns and icons. hence deigns are inspired by themes and icons of global recognition. In fact, I was hinted that the manufacturers had once tried to create African patterns on a set of lace, but the products never sold.
HOH factory |
HOH factory |
Theresa's shop-African Lace shop at St. Margrethen- Switzerland |
Theresa's shop |
'African dressed' Dummies at Theresa's Shop |
My studio @villa strauli |
Thanks to Claudio who donated a box of textiles from their factories for my work.
At this point, I got involved with transforming the textile pieces and introducing "African icons'' inspired by traditional Nigerian textiles and ancient sign writing known as 'nsibidi', combined with Swiss magazine designs and content. This mix becomes part of the textile to contextualise the content of this textile pieces.
Find the series of 12 mixed media drawings
Title- Swiss Lace samples
medium - Swiss lace, ink, Swiss magazine
40x50cm each - 12 pieces
2014
Title: Paper-lace Agbada
Medium: Newspaper, Acylic and ink
size: 365.8x152.4cm
2014
studio |
Prepared newpapers |
woven newspapers |
'Title: Ofong'
Medium:Swiss Magazine and Newspapers
Size: 77x39x30cm
yr: 2014
I also had a sound installation piece, This work was done with second hand clothes donated to me based on my asking people to donate their used clothes for my project, This second hand clothing and some laces donated by HOH factory constituted this installation titled 'Oja'. This installation had an accompanying sound which I collected from the Second hand clothes market in Lagos.
Title: Oja
Medium:Swiss laces, Second-hand clothes, Piano, sound from Lagos market
Size: variable dimension
2014
And my exhibition and talk @ Villa strauli was opened on the 8th of April, 2014.
Invitation |
Thanks to Villa Strauli team, for giving me an opportunity to come live in this beautiful apartment, creating works in Wintethur. And to all of you that donated clothes to my work, Thank you. You turned up for on the 8th…Big Thanks.