Adinkra symbols are visual symbols among the Akan in Ghana. These symbols represent objects that encapsulate evocative messages conveying traditional wisdom, life and beliefs. The Akan mainly use the symbols for producing funeral cloth or fabric as wrapper for men and women (especially the elderly class). There have not been much creativity and innovation regarding the use of adinkra symbols for female fashionable wears. Black and indigo hues are employed for printing adinkra cloth and these hues are associated with mourning among the Akan. Thus, using adinkra cloth for fashionable wears poses many challenges to fashion designers due to the characteristics of the cloth. This research is anchored on Vygotsky’s creativity theory and Baumgarten aesthetic theory. The study employed qualitative research design and studio based approach. This study seeks to employ selected adinkra symbols for the production of fashionable suits for women. The objectives were to use the Akan adinkra symbols to suit the contemporary demands of the fashion industry, apply screen printing technique to produce adinkra cloths with synthetic pastes, develop innovative fabrics with adinkra symbols that can withstand different tailoring processes and produce fashionable suits from the redeveloped adinkra cloth. The findings revealed that adinkra cloth, if redesigned into innovative fabrics can withstand major tailoring processes such as pressing, fusing and moulding. Looking at the results, it was established that employing screen printing technique for producing adinkra cloth has the tendency to improve the characteristics of the original cloth; thereby making it possible to withstand different tailoring processes. The study recommends effective education on the patronage of locally made clothing with indigenous symbols in order to promote the traditional textile industry.
| Published in | American Journal of Art and Design (Volume 7, Issue 2) |
| DOI | 10.11648/j.ajad.20220702.11 |
| Page(s) | 39-51 |
| Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Adinkra Symbols, Akan People, Office Suit, Innovative Fabric and Tailoring
| [1] | Boakye, G. K. (2007). The production of adinkra cloth. Kumasi: ED-Jay Services Ltd. |
| [2] | Antobam, K. (1998). Ghana’s heritage of culture. Leipzig: Koehler & Amelang. |
| [3] | Adom, D., Asante, A. E. & Kquofi, S. (2016). Adinkra: An epitome of Asante philosophy and history. Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 30, 86-89. |
| [4] | Asmah, A. E. (2014). Cultural symbolism in Asante traditional textiles. Unpublished Doctoral Dissertation, Department of General Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. |
| [5] | Omai, S. N. (2012). Generating contemporary Ghanaian textile designs from indigenous West African design patterns. Unpublished Master’s thesis, department of fashion and textiles, University of Education, Winneba Ghana. |
| [6] | Adu-Akwaboa, S. (1994). Art for schools and colleges. Kumasi: Samary Publications. |
| [7] | Asmah, A. E. (2004). A book on Adinkra. (Unpublished), Department of Rural Art and Industry, |
| [8] | Adom, D. (2012). The influence of European elements on Asante’s textiles. Unpublished Master’s Dissertation, Department of General Art Studies, KNUST, Kumasi. |
| [9] | Opoku, M., Baiden, S. & Kemevor, A. K. (2015). Quality system of finishing clothing (garment) in the small scale industries in Ghana. Pro journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2 (4), 57-69. |
| [10] | Clarke, D. (2002). The art of African textiles. London: PRC Publishing Ltd. |
| [11] | Tetteh, V. A. (2006). Adinkra-cultural symbols of the Asante people. Retrieved from http://www.scholarwork.rit.edu>cgi>viewcontent. |
| [12] | Glover, A. (1992). Adinkra symbolism. Accra: Artiste Alliance Gallery, Omanye House. |
| [13] | Bowdich, T. E. (1966). Mission from Cape Coast Castle to Ashantee. London Rutledge. |
| [14] | Oduol, S. (2012). Innovative applications of typography: Ancient African typographic symbols in contemporary publication design. Kumasi: Alpha Publications. |
| [15] | Mato, D. (1986). Clothed in symbol-The art of Adinkra among the Akan of Ghana. Indiana: Bloomington. |
| [16] | Kumah, D. (2009). Stools in Asante culture. Unpublished PhD Dissertation, School of Graduate Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana Kumasi. |
| [17] | Delaquis, E. N. (2013). The adinkra: Re- reading a discourse within a discourse. (Doctoral Dissertation, Ohio University). |
| [18] | Boateng, B. (2011). The copyright thing doesn’t work here: Adinkra and kente cloth and intellectual property in Ghana. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. |
| [19] | Kwami, M. (1994). Symbolic language of the Asante adinkra. Berlin: Movimento Druck. |
| [20] | Rattray, R. S. (1972). Religion and art in Asante. London: Clarendon Press. |
| [21] | Asmah, A. E. Okpattah, V. & Koomson, E. (2016). Adinkra cloth production in retrospect. African Development and Resources Research Journal, Ghana, 25, 12 (3). |
| [22] | Nubour, C. (2006). Education of the textile industry at Adanwomase, Bonwire and Ntonso in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Unpublished Master’s thesis, KNUST, Ghana Kumasi. |
| [23] | Iddrisu, A. Y. (2001). Adinkra: A symbol of Ghana. Chicago: The DePaul University centre for Urban Education. |
| [24] | Agyekum, K. (2006). Aspects of language, culture and family issues in Ghana. Muenchen: Lincom. |
| [25] | Frimpong, C., Asinyo, B. K. & Amankwah, A. (2013). Contemporary trends in adinkra cloth production: Design, printing technique, base fabric and printing paste. International Journal of Fibre and textiles Research, 221-242. |
| [26] | Abissath, M. K. & Korem, A. K. (2004). Traditional wisdom in African proverbs, 1915 proverbs from 41 African countries. Accra: Trends Ltd. |
| [27] | Arthur, G. F. K. & Rowe, R. (1998). Akan cultural symbols, Akan cloth symbols, Akan akunintam (royal cloth). London: Project PRC. Publishing Ltd. |
| [28] | Kuwornu-Adjaottor, J. E. T., Appiah, G. & Nartey, M. (2016). The philosophy behind some adinkra symbols and their communicative values in Akan. Academic journals, 7 (3), 126-133. |
| [29] | Gyekye, K. (2002). African cultural values: Introduction. Accra: Sankofa Publishing Company. |
| [30] | Agbo, A. H. (2011). Values of adinkra symbols. Kumasi: Delta Design and Publications. |
| [31] | Nkansah-Obrempong, J. (2002). Visual theology- The significance of cultural symbols, metaphors and proverbs for theological creativity in the African context: A case study of the Akan of Ghana. Journal of African Christian Thought, 5 (1), 45-47. |
| [32] | Yanka, K. (1995). Speaking for the chief: Okyeame and the politics of the Akan royal oratory. Bloomington: Indiana University Press. |
| [33] | Opoku, M., Pamela, I. C., Ajiginni, M. (2019). Redesigning adinkra symbols as innovative motifs on fabric for interior decoration. Journal of Ceramics and Environmental Design (JOCED) Vol. 6 No. 2: 55-70. |
| [34] | Cabrera, R. & Antoine, D. (2015). Classic tailoring techniques for menswear: A construction guide (2nd ed.). London: Bloomsburg Publishing Inc. |
| [35] | Fringes, G. S. (2008). Fashion from concept to consumer (9th Ed.). New Jersey: Pearson Education, Inc. |
| [36] | Mills, M. C. (2009). Materiality as the basis for the aesthetic experience in contemporary art. (dissertation); University of Montana. |
APA Style
Baiden Sarah, Josephine Aboagyewaa-Ntiri, Opoku Moses. (2022). Screen-Printed Adinkra Symbolic Fabrics in the Production of Female Fashionable Office Suits. American Journal of Art and Design, 7(2), 39-51. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20220702.11
ACS Style
Baiden Sarah; Josephine Aboagyewaa-Ntiri; Opoku Moses. Screen-Printed Adinkra Symbolic Fabrics in the Production of Female Fashionable Office Suits. Am. J. Art Des. 2022, 7(2), 39-51. doi: 10.11648/j.ajad.20220702.11
Share This Article
Twitter
Linked In
Facebook
Copy
Download@article{10.11648/j.ajad.20220702.11,
author = {Baiden Sarah and Josephine Aboagyewaa-Ntiri and Opoku Moses},
title = {Screen-Printed Adinkra Symbolic Fabrics in the Production of Female Fashionable Office Suits},
journal = {American Journal of Art and Design},
volume = {7},
number = {2},
pages = {39-51},
doi = {10.11648/j.ajad.20220702.11},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20220702.11},
eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ajad.20220702.11},
abstract = {Adinkra symbols are visual symbols among the Akan in Ghana. These symbols represent objects that encapsulate evocative messages conveying traditional wisdom, life and beliefs. The Akan mainly use the symbols for producing funeral cloth or fabric as wrapper for men and women (especially the elderly class). There have not been much creativity and innovation regarding the use of adinkra symbols for female fashionable wears. Black and indigo hues are employed for printing adinkra cloth and these hues are associated with mourning among the Akan. Thus, using adinkra cloth for fashionable wears poses many challenges to fashion designers due to the characteristics of the cloth. This research is anchored on Vygotsky’s creativity theory and Baumgarten aesthetic theory. The study employed qualitative research design and studio based approach. This study seeks to employ selected adinkra symbols for the production of fashionable suits for women. The objectives were to use the Akan adinkra symbols to suit the contemporary demands of the fashion industry, apply screen printing technique to produce adinkra cloths with synthetic pastes, develop innovative fabrics with adinkra symbols that can withstand different tailoring processes and produce fashionable suits from the redeveloped adinkra cloth. The findings revealed that adinkra cloth, if redesigned into innovative fabrics can withstand major tailoring processes such as pressing, fusing and moulding. Looking at the results, it was established that employing screen printing technique for producing adinkra cloth has the tendency to improve the characteristics of the original cloth; thereby making it possible to withstand different tailoring processes. The study recommends effective education on the patronage of locally made clothing with indigenous symbols in order to promote the traditional textile industry.},
year = {2022}
}
TY - JOUR T1 - Screen-Printed Adinkra Symbolic Fabrics in the Production of Female Fashionable Office Suits AU - Baiden Sarah AU - Josephine Aboagyewaa-Ntiri AU - Opoku Moses Y1 - 2022/04/08 PY - 2022 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20220702.11 DO - 10.11648/j.ajad.20220702.11 T2 - American Journal of Art and Design JF - American Journal of Art and Design JO - American Journal of Art and Design SP - 39 EP - 51 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2578-7802 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajad.20220702.11 AB - Adinkra symbols are visual symbols among the Akan in Ghana. These symbols represent objects that encapsulate evocative messages conveying traditional wisdom, life and beliefs. The Akan mainly use the symbols for producing funeral cloth or fabric as wrapper for men and women (especially the elderly class). There have not been much creativity and innovation regarding the use of adinkra symbols for female fashionable wears. Black and indigo hues are employed for printing adinkra cloth and these hues are associated with mourning among the Akan. Thus, using adinkra cloth for fashionable wears poses many challenges to fashion designers due to the characteristics of the cloth. This research is anchored on Vygotsky’s creativity theory and Baumgarten aesthetic theory. The study employed qualitative research design and studio based approach. This study seeks to employ selected adinkra symbols for the production of fashionable suits for women. The objectives were to use the Akan adinkra symbols to suit the contemporary demands of the fashion industry, apply screen printing technique to produce adinkra cloths with synthetic pastes, develop innovative fabrics with adinkra symbols that can withstand different tailoring processes and produce fashionable suits from the redeveloped adinkra cloth. The findings revealed that adinkra cloth, if redesigned into innovative fabrics can withstand major tailoring processes such as pressing, fusing and moulding. Looking at the results, it was established that employing screen printing technique for producing adinkra cloth has the tendency to improve the characteristics of the original cloth; thereby making it possible to withstand different tailoring processes. The study recommends effective education on the patronage of locally made clothing with indigenous symbols in order to promote the traditional textile industry. VL - 7 IS - 2 ER -
Information
Email: