TRANSFORMING CLASSICAL AFRICAN TEXTILE PRINT DESIGNS TO MEET CONTEMPORARY TRENDS BY ISAAC ABRAHAM BA. ART (ART) A Thesis submitted to the Department of Industrial Art, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF FINE ART IN TEXTILE DESIGN Faculty of Industrial Art, College of Art and Social Sciences July 2013 i 1 CERTIFICATION I hereby declare that this submission is my own work towards the MFA and that, to the best of my knowledge, it contains no material previously published by another person nor material which has been accepted for the award of any other degree of the University, except where due acknowledgement has been made in the text. ………………………………… ……………………… ………………………. Student`s Name Signature Date Certified by: ………………………………… ……………………… ………………………. Supervisor`s Name Signature Date Certified by: ………………………………… ……………………… ………………………. Head of Department`s name Signature Date ii2 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I am most grateful to the almighty God for his abundance grace that has brought me this far. This thesis would not have been possible without the help, guidance and patience of my supervisor Dr. Charles Frimpong, I am extremely grateful. I am also thankful to Mr. Ebenezer Kofi Howard for his good advice, support and friendship. I thank my wife Marian for her personal support and great patience at all times. I would like to thank Mr. and Mrs. Emmanuel Ayesu for accommodating me throughout this programme. Finally, I acknowledge the support, prayers and encouragement of my parents, brothers and sisters. i3ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF PLATES …………………………………………………………………. vii LIST OF TABLES ……………………………………………………………...…. xii CERTIFICATION ……………………………………………………………..…. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ……………………………………………………….... iii ABSTRACT ……………………………………………………………….. …….... xiii CHAPTER ONE vi INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background to the Study……………………………...………............................. 1 1.2 Statement of the Problem …….…………………………………………….......... 3 1.3 Objectives of the Study …..…………………………………………………........ 4 1.4 Research Questions ………………………………………………………………. 4 1.5 Importance of the Study .………..………………...……………………….......... 4 1.6 Limitation ……………..…………………………………………………............. 5 1.7 Delimitation …..………………………………………………………………...... 5 1.8 Operational Definition of Terms …………………………………….................... 5 1.9 Abbreviations ………………………………………………………………..…… 6 1.10 Organisation of the study ……………………………...……………….............. 6 CHAPTER TWO REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE ………………………………………….. 8 2.1 Overview…….. ………………………………………………………………….. 8 iv4 Page 2.2 Textile designing ……... …………………………………………………….. 8 2.3 The introduction of African prints in Ghana …………………………............ 9 2.4 Characteristics of African Prints ………………..…………………………..... 12 2.5 Creativity ………………………………………………………………….….. 16 2.6 Classical and Contemporary Fashion ……..……………………...…………... 18 CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY …………………….……………………………………....... 21 3.1 Overview …………………………………………………………………….. 21 3.2 Research Design ……………………………………………...………............ 21 3.3 Population of the Study ……………………………………………….……... 22 3.4 Sampling Procedure …………………………………………………….......... 22 3.5 Data Collection Techniques ……………………………………………........... 23 3.5.1 Observation …………………………………………………………………. 23 3.5.2 Questionnaire.……………………………………………………...………… 23 3.5.3 Interview ………………………………………………………..……........... 24 3.6 Data Analysis ………………………………………………………..………… 24 CHAPTER FOUR FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION …………………………………………….….. 25 4.1 Characteristics of classical and contemporary prints ………............................. 25 4.2 Contemporary Prints ……………………………………………………….…. 32 27 v 5 Page 4.3 Patronage of Classical Prints compared with Contemporary Prints ……….…… 37 4.3.1 Reasons why people prefer Classical Prints …………………………………... 38 4.3.2 Reasons why people prefer contemporary prints ……………………………… 39 4.4 Factors Influencing the Production of Classical and Contemporary Prints..…….. 40 4.5 New African Prints that incorporate Classical and Contemporary style (Classicon) 41 4.6 Level of acceptance of “classicon” Prints …………………………………..……. 84 CHAPTER FIVE SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ……………………. 86 5.1 Summary ……………………………………………………………………..…. 86 5.2 Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………..... 87 5.3 Recommendations ………………………………………………………….….. 88 REFERENCES …………………………………………………………….…….... 90 APPENDIX I …………………………………………………………………..…... 94 APPENDIX II ............................................................................................................. 96 APPENDIX III ……………………………………………………………..……….. 97 vi 6 LIST OF PLATES Page Plate 1: “Kodu sa” 1 …………………………………………………………………2..7. Plate 1: “Kodu sa” 2 …………………………………………………………………2…7 ... Plate 3: “Akyekyedeε akyi” 1 …………………………………………………………28… ... Plate 4: “Akyekyedeε akyi” 2 …………………………………………………..……2…8 … Plate 5: “Afe bi ye asiane” …………………………………………………………..2..9.. .... Plate 6: “Ahwere po” …………………………………………………………………30… ... Plate 7: “Sedeε” ………………………………………………………………………30… . Plate 8: “Akomfεm” …………………………………………………………………3…1 … Plate 9: Fancy ……………………………………………..………………………. 32 Plate 10: Woodin 1……………………………………………………………………33… …. Plate 11: Woodin 2 ……………………………………………………………………33… … Plate 12: Woodin 3……………………………………………………………………34… …. Plate 13: Woodin 4……………………………………………………………………34… …. Plate 14: Da viva 1……………………………………………………………………3…5 …. Plate 15: Da viva 1……………………………………………………………………3…5 …. Plate 16: Nustyle 1……………………………………………………………………3…6 …. Plate 17: Nustyle 2……………………………………………………………………3…6 …. Plate 18: Original “kodu sa” …………………………………………………………4…2 …. Plate 19: Idea development ……………………………………………………………42… .. Plate 20: Idea development ……………………………………………………………42… .. Plate 21: Final motif …………………………………………………………………4…3 ….. vii 7 Page Plate 22: “Classicon” print 1a …………………………………………………………….. 44 Plate 23: “Classicon” print 1b ……..…………………………………………………45… … Plate 24: “Classicon” print 1c ………………………………………………………4…6 ….. Plate 25: Original “akyekyedeε akyi” ………………………………………………4…7 … Plate 26: Idea development …………………………………………………………4…9 Plate 27: Idea development …………………………….……………………………4…9 … Plate 28: Idea development ………………………..…………………………………48… … Plate 29: Final motif …………………………………………………………………48… … Plate 30: “Classicon” print 2a ……..…………………………………………………49… … Plate 31: “Classicon” print 2b ………………………………………………………5…0 … Plate 32: “Classicon” print 2c .……………………..………………………………5…1 …… Plate 34: Original “afe bi yε sane” …………………………………………………5…2 …… Plate 35: Idea development …….……………………………………………………5…2 … Plate 36: Idea development …………………………………………………………5…2 … Plate 37: Idea development …………………………………………………………5…2 … Plate 38: Idea development …………………..………………………………………53… … Plate 39: Final motif ………..………………………………………………………5…3 …… Plate 40: “Classicon” print 3a ………………………………………………………5…4 …… Plate 41: “Classicon” print 3b ………………………………………………………5…5 …… Plate 42: Original “εfie abosea”………………………………………………………56… … Plate 43: Idea development .…………………………………………………………56… … Plate 44: Idea development ………………………………………………………..…56… … viii 8 Page Plate 45: Idea development ……………………………………………………………… 56 Plate 46: “Classicon” print 4a …………………………………………………………5…7 … Plate 47: “Classicon” print 4b …………………………………………………………5…8 … Plate 48: “Classicon” print 4c …………………………………………………………5…9 … Plate 49: Original “ahwere po” …….…………………………………………………6…0 … Plate 50: Idea development ……………………………………………………………60… Plate 51: Final motif ………….………………………………………………………6…1 … Plate 52: “Classicon” print 5a…..………………………………………………………61… Plate 53: “Classicon” print 5b …………………………………………………………6…2 … Plate 54: “Classicon” print5c …………………………………………………………6…3 … Plate 55: Original “sedeε” …..…………………………………………………………64… Plate 56: Idea development ..…………………………………………………………6…4 … Plate 57: Idea development ………………………..…………………………………6…4 … Plate 58: Idea development ..…………………………………………………………6…5 … Plate 59: Final motif ……………………………………………………………………65… Plate 60: “Classicon” print 6a …………………………………………………………6…5 … Plate 61: “Classicon” print 6b …………………………………………………………6…6 … Plate 62: Original “aso bayere” ………………………………………………………6…7 … Plate 63: Idea development ……………………………………………………………67… Plate 64: Idea development ……………………………………………………………67… Plate 65: Idea development ..…………………………………………………………6…7 … Plate 66: Idea development ……………………………………………………………68… ix9 Page Plate 67: Idea development ……………………………………………………………… 68 Plate 68: “Classicon” print 7a ……………………………………………………………… 69 Plate 69: “Classicon” print 7b ……………………………………………………………… 70 Plate 70: Original “Akomfεm” …….……………………………………………………… 71 Plate 71: Final motif 1 ………..…………………………………………………………… 71 Plate 72: Final motif 2……………………………………………………………………… 71 Plate 72: “Classicon” print 8a ……………………………………………………………… 72 Plate 73: “Classicon” print 8b ……………………………………………………………… 73 Plate 74: “Classicon” print 8c ……………………………………………………………… 74 Plate 75: Original “owu atwedeε baako mforo” ………………………………………… 75 Plate 76: Idea development ….…………………………………………………………… 75 Plate 77: Idea development ……………………………………………………………… 75 Plate 78: Final motif ………..……………………………………………………………… 75 Plate 79: “Classicon” print 9a ……………………………………………………………… 76 Plate 80: “Classicon” print 9b ……………………………………………………………… 77 Plate 81: Original “Ahoonee pa nkasa” …………………………………………………. 78 Plate 82: Idea development ….…………………………………………………………… 78 Plate 83: Idea development ….…………………………………………………………… 79 Plate 84: “Classicon” print 10 ……………………………………………………………… 80 Plate 85: Original “su bura” ….…………………………………………………………… 81 Plate 86: Idea development ……………………………………………………………… 81 Plate 87: Idea development …..…………………………………………………………… 81 x 10