La technique Bogolan

I use a painting technique which is inspired by a method used in Mali to color clothes. The ingredients of the various colours originate from natural products like clay, leaves and bark from trees. The colours had a symbolic significance and were used during ritual ceremonies. For example with the Dogon people ochre-yellow is exclusively used by the hunters; the black colour was only for those taking care of the animals. Bogolan is a Bamara word and derives from Bogo which means clay/mud; lan means from - thus made from clay. All those colours are obtained by cooking the ingredients. Sometimes I mix these with acrylic powder.

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