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Textile and Calligraphy Arts of Morocco
Textile and Calligraphy
Looking at the art of Lalla Essaydi.
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Tennessee Social Studies Standards
Tennessee English Language Arts Standards
About
Textiles and Calligraphy in photographs by Lalla Essaydi
Lalla Essaydi covers her models, and sometimes their garments and walls, in layers of hand-painted henna calligraphy, subverting traditional Muslim gender stereotypes through the presence of the written word. The sacred Islamic art form of calligraphy, traditionally reserved exclusively for men, is used by Essaydi as a small act of defiance against a culture in which women are relegated to the private sphere. Furthermore, by creating this calligraphy with henna, an art traditionally employed by women for women, Essaydi fully reclaims the female voice. The performative process and the resulting photographs allow Essaydi to push and pull the boundaries between East and West, male and female, past and present.
Activity 1
ACTIVITY SUGGESTIONS
Create repeating patterns and/or text and then transfer the patterns onto fabric.
On scratch paper, practice making patterns using lines, dashes, swirls, repeated words, and other mark making. Patterns can be linear, like writing and calligraphy, or a radial design, starting in the center and moving outwards in circular patterns. Look at examples of Essaydi’s work and textiles from Morocco for inspiration while also making your own unique marks, patterns, and language-inspired designs.
Consider that these items will be worn by you or another person—how does that influence the patterns, words, or marks you make on the textiles?
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place cardboard or other protective material under the fabric you will be decorating.
- Use paint/fabric markers, permanent markers and pens to transfer your image onto fabric. You can use a single, monochromatic pattern or choose color(s) based on the mood or symbolic impact that connects to the meaning behind your work as well as your own personal aesthetic.
- Display and share completed textiles as they would be worn or displayed. Take photos to share while discussing the marks and writing chosen for the work.4. Tag #huntermuseum if sharing on social media!
Located in Gallery 1
I wonder... Does this look familiar to you?
Many of George Washington’s portraits and profiles look the same Take a look at a selection of George Washington’s portraits at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C. Washington, Washington Everywhere | National Portrait Gallery
Why do you think so may artists would use the same image over and over again? How did this contribute to new Americans learning about the founding of the United States?
Think of other portraits you have seen and look at other images below—what does each one tell us something about the person featured? What has the artist shared with us about the subject of the painting?
SSP.01 Gather information from a variety of sources
SSP.05 Develop historical awareness by: Sequencing past, present, and future in chronological order and Understanding that things change over time
SS.4.08 Determine the importance of different groups to the American Revolution
Located in Gallery 1
Located in Gallery 1
Activity 2
On scratch paper, practice making patterns using lines, dashes, swirls, repeated words, and other mark making. Patterns can be linear, like writing and calligraphy, or a radial design, starting in the center and moving outwards in circular patterns. Look at examples of Essaydi’s work and textiles from Morocco for inspiration while also making your own unique marks, patterns, and language-inspired designs.
Consider that these items will be worn by you or another person—how does that influence the patterns, words, or marks you make on the textiles?
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place cardboard or other protective material under or between the layers of fabric you will be decorating. Be sure to be wearing a smock or other protective clothing so the bleach does not damage what you are wearing!
- Use the bleach pen to draw your design onto the cotton fabric. (Practice using the pen on a separate piece of paper or fabric scrap so that you understand how much to squeeze in order to control the flow of gel on the fabric before you begin!)
- Work quickly since the bleach will begin to lift color from the fabric as soon as it is applied. If you are creating a large or intricate pattern you may need to work over several sessions. Watch for the color of the fabric to change.
- Once you notice a strong difference in the color, rinse the bleach off the fabric under running water, making sure all bleach is removed from the fabric.
- Hang and dry completely before adding any additional marks. Wash and dry before wearing.
- Display and share completed textiles as they would be worn or displayed. Take photos to share while discussing the marks and writing chosen for the work.
- Tag #huntermuseum if sharing on social media!
Located in Gallery 1
Located in Gallery 1
Not on view
Something to consider: STEM Connection
Artists were key players in documenting conflicts both to share with the public and to create a record of events. Do some research about the methods used in the artworks from the Hunter Museum. How would an etching or lithograph reach a different group of people than a painting? How would these inventions (and others like photography and film) affect the ways in which Americans learned about and responded to conflict?
SSP.01 Gather information from a variety of sources, including media and technology sources
Darker colored, untreated cotton fabric (bandanas, t-shirts, no polyester blends or logos)
Bleach pens (sold near laundry detergents, bathroom cleaning supplies, or online)Bleach pens (sold near laundry detergents, bathroom cleaning supplies, or online)
Cardboard, chip board, or newspaper to place under fabric
Smock/protective clothing
Access to cold running water – individual buckets of water to rinse bleach – must be large enough to soak all of the fabric
Located in Gallery 4
Located in Gallery 4
Located in Gallery 14
Art can be an expression of identity and culture. Some communities have had these important personal representations threatened because they were different or were in opposition to new ideas being brought by expanding frontiers.
Look at the following 3 artworks that respond to the impact on the people and the land during the Westward Expansion of the United States.
Consider: what emotions do you see represented? Can you find examples of how it felt to lose something very important? Can you also find examples of resilience? What symbols, colors, and details did the artist use to share these emotions?
SS.3.22 Examine how American Indian cultures changed as a result of contact with European cultures, including: decreased population, spread of disease (smallpox), increased conflict, loss of territory, and increase in trade.
Located in Gallery 5
Located in Gallery 5
Located in Gallery 5
Cities also expanded rapidly during the mid 19th century. People came to the United States from all over the world! In cities like New York, many diverse groups of people lived very close together. Trains, trolleys, and streets showcased the many ways lives overlapped.
Look at the images below: Find people who are working, resting, excited, nervous, and confident. What are they doing? Where do you think they are going?
SSP.03 Organize data from a variety of sources in order to: Compare and contrast multiple sources, Recognize differences between multiple accounts, and Frame appropriate questions for further investigation
R.1. Cornerstone Read closely to determine what a text says explicitly and to make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual evidence when writing or speaking to support conclusions drawn from the text.
Located in Gallery 3
Located in Gallery 12
Located in Gallery 14
Listen to the song Poor Old Joe by Paul Robeson, a renowned singer during the early 1900s and the Harlem Renaissance. During the Great Migration, many African Americans travelled to cities in the North in search of new opportunities and equality while others remained and worked in agriculture in the South. How do the lyrics connect to the artwork?*
*This is an artwork about migration by someone who was an immigrant (rather than a migrant) but has overlapping themes for both experiences as discussed above
Left: Hung Liu (1948-2021), I Hear Their Gentle Voice Calling, 2017, mixed media, multi-layer resin, 82 x 82 in. Toledo Museum of Art. Purchased with funds from the Libbey Endowment, Gift of Edward Drummond Libbey.
Located in Gallery 12
Located in Gallery 15
Immigrants have been crucial in shaping American history and culture. Many of America’s most celebrated artists were immigrants or the children of immigrants who chose to build their lives in the U.S.
Located in Gallery 18
Located in Gallery 18
Look at the artworks above and at left: Think about how these two artists combine images from American culture with historical Japanese and Korean art to create something new.
Located in Gallery 1
Activity: Mimi Herbert left half of the work Celebration Flag blank, suggesting an opportunity for viewers to add their own ideas to complete the flag. Flags are used to identify a place using colors and symbols—The United States flag uses 50 stars for the 50 states, 13 stripes for the 13 original colonies, blue for justice, red for valor and bravery, and white for purity and innocence. Use the blank space provided in the activity below to share how you would complete Mimi’s flag.
Download activity
Located in Gallery 13
Contemporary art continues to address themes of identity, conflict, movement and our changing world. Contemporary can be defined as “right now.” All artwork is contemporary at the time it is made and reflects the social, political and personal impacts of the artist’s environment. Look at the works below. How do these artworks reflect on history as well as the “right now”?
Not on view
Not on view
Not on view
