Talking textiles: Thandiwe Muriu’s use of the iconic Ankara fabric

Wax print fabrics or Ankara fabrics are known for their graphic patterns, bold colours and catchy slogans. The iconic cloth is now being celebrated in an exhibition at the Musée de l’Homme in Paris, where curators have been exploring its anthropological, social and political role on the African continent and beyond. Kenyan artist Thandiwe Muriu joins us to talk about the fabric’s function in her striking portraits, and how she uses textiles to explore identity, aesthetics and her own place in society. Thandiwe tells us how clothes and the messages they send can empower and emancipate women, and we discuss the use of traditional motifs in contemporary fashion, as African prints seduce designers all over the world.