SPOKANE, Wash. — The 'Ubuhle Women' bead artwork exhibition will be showcased at the Northwest Museum of Arts ad culture (MAC) during Black History Month through April.
“It features over 30 beaded panels,” explained Kayla Tackett, executive director of exhibitions and collections at the MAC.
'Ubuhle Women: Beadwork and the Art of Independence' showcases a new form of bead art, the "ndwango," which was developed by a community of women living and working together in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
The "ndwango" is a collection of fabric panels that stretch over frames, where thousands of beads are sewn together on black fabric that resembles a canvas.
The process can take up to ten months to complete.
"They kind of shimmer in the light, and it’s just really meticulous work,” said Tackett.
According to MAC officials, this collective of Ubuhle women artists started in 1999 to create markets for their artwork.
The group’s goal was to restore the dignity of women living in poverty and sometimes enduring abuse and poor health.
“So it was formed by Bev Gibson and a woman that goes by the name of Induna, which means leader. They worked together to teach women how to bead and find a way to gain financial independence,” Tackett explained.
Six different artists are featured at the display at the MAC.
The museum is open Sunday-Thursday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
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