Through January 11, 2002
African Textiles
Oakland International Airport
located in the connecting walkway between the two terminals

Miniature Masterpieces
located in the entranceway of Terminal One.

African Textiles
Textiles are among the most popular arts and crafts on the African continent. The countries of Africa are host to a variety of textile traditions. Some areas are known for decorating techniques such as appliqué, embroidery, and different resist dye techniques–paste resist, tie-dye, stitch and fold–while others are known for construction techniques including brocading, piecing, and other types of decorative and plain weaving.

Selected here are some of the many textiles for which Africa is known. Pieces have been chosen from Gambia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mali, Nigeria, and Tunisia, and reflect different dyeing and weaving styles.

An interesting feature of all of the cloth here–with the exception of the pieces from Tunisia (North Africa)–is that they are woven on narrow looms and stitched together, or if commercially manufactured they are often pieced for aesthetic purposes. The tradition of strip piecing is one that can be found in many of the quilts being made today by African American men and women.

This exhibition complements a popular traveling exhibition, Wrapped in Pride: Ghanaian Kente and African American Identity on display at the Oakland Museum of California, October 13, 2001-January 13, 2002.

Miniature Masterpieces
The snuff bottle was developed in China at the beginning of the Qing dynasty (1644-1912) as a receptacle for snuff, a powdered tobacco introduced into China from the West and considered to have beneficial medicinal properties.

The emperors personally involved themselves in the design and crafting of these magnificent miniature containers, elevating their status to that of prized possessions treasured by members of the court, officials, and scholars. The functional purpose of these bottles, to hold snuff, was quickly transcended by their beauty and elegance. They became appreciated solely for their intrinsic esthetic quality and were eagerly collected from the beginning as works of art.

The finest artisans were commissioned to create unusual and individually attractive containers, which were highly esteemed as conversation pieces and miniature masterpieces. Snuff bottles embody the ancient Chinese artistic tradition of balancing art and purpose of use. To attain this perfection, carvers, sculptors, painters, and scholars used materials from nature and those man-made. Flaws in materials were often used to create uniqueness of design. The stopper brings closure to a bottle and is selected to enhance the final presentation.

For those long exposed to the snuff bottle, their affection borders on obsession.