Dogon Woman's Wrap / Skirt

Fine, dense stripes in steel blue blur into a quiet shimmer from a distance.

This woman's wrap or skirt of woven cotton and indigo is Dogon, from Mali, West Africa, and dates to the 20th century. Wraps and skirts are common everyday and ceremonial clothing in West Africa, and the colour and pattern of cloth often signals the wearer's community or occasion. Modest rectangular cloth with tightly spaced horizontal lines in mid blue, grey and cream. The stripes thin out and thicken in loose bands across the field. The edges are slightly wavy and the surface is soft and evenly worn. It is 36 inches wide and 60 long.

Quiet stripes, steady hands and no big announcements.