Hamadoun Bolly

Burkina Faso

Year(s) attended: 2009

Mud Cloth and Jewelry

In Burkina Faso, the art of painting with mud on cloth (known as bogolan) has been practiced for centuries. To create these bold textiles, natural leaf-based dyes are used to paint geometric designs onto cotton cloth. Mineral-rich mud is then placed over the dyes to help fix the colors to the fabric. The mud is removed and the process is repeated to create more saturated colors.  Traditionally, the mud cloth was worn while hunting.

Hamadoun learned the art when he was six years old from his family. He has worked at the national art and craft center in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso for over twenty years. His textile-making has taken him to trade fairs in France and, more recently, to Chicago and New York.