Wafrica

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Serge Mouangue's Wafrica project reimagines the traditional Japanese kimono by incorporating vibrant West African fabrics, creating a hybrid garment that challenges and expands notions of cultural identity and aesthetics. This piece was made in collaboration with the kimono production companies Kururi and later Odasho. The kimonos were crafted using West African textiles, some of which were produced in the Netherlands. Mouangue aimed to create a “third aesthetics” — a space where African and Japanese cultures intersect to produce something new. This fusion honors the traditions of both cultures while also inviting viewers to reconsider cultural boundaries and appreciate the art that emerges from cross-cultural collaboration. This project has strong graphic design connections, specifically in terms of visual communication, pattern, and cultural symbolism.

A Wafrica kimono evoking both ceremony and disruption, demanding tradition while the fabric invites the body to carry multiple histories at once.
Source: wafrica.art
A Wafrica kimono evoking both ceremony and disruption, demanding tradition while the fabric invites the body to carry multiple histories at once.