Elizabeth Savanhu

Zimbabwe

Year(s) attended: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Narrative Appliqué

The appliqué technique has a long history and is used in the creations by Elizabeth Savanhu from Zimbabwe, Africa. The appliqué technique uses one layer of fabric as a foundation. Then the artist works with the material by cutting shapes, arranging and rearranging, and shaping again. This step is repeated until the design is ready to be transferred to the foundation. The second step for Savanhu is the appliqué itself. Appliqué material is usually cloth but can also include beads, embroidery, and leather. Appliqué is a favorite technique for fabric artists because it can open up whole new designs.

This folk art comes from Zimbabwe, Africa which has ancient fortress ruins and the world’s largest curtain of falling water from the Zambezi River at Victoria Falls. This art form is passed on from female to female. An older neighbor woman in the village saw that Elizabeth had some interest in sewing and taught her the appliqué technique. Elizabeth in turn has taught her sisters. Her designs show the daily activities of village life like hauling water, fetching wood, and village conversation. Her designs spark storytelling and conversation which is the centerpiece of African oral tradition of community.