Colonial Impacts on Material Cultures of the African Diaspora

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Cloth Connections: Colonial Impacts on Material Cultures of African Diaspora with Cheyney McKnight, Elli Michaela Young & Teleica Kirkland.

Creative Lancashire is collaborating with Amber Butchart to present a series of Conversations in Creativity talks to further explore the themes responded to by artists & makers contributing to the British Textile Biennial programme.

“The story of migration is not one story but millions of stories… there’s more than one way to tell a story.”

Tartan: Its Journey through the African Diaspora was the first major project conceived by Teleica Kirkland, for Costume Institute of the African Diaspora (CIAD). The project explored the emergence of tartans in Kenya in the form of shukas; the blankets worn by the Maasai Mara and discovered the relationship to tartan that has developed amongst the Zulu’s in South Africa.

"The history of a people can be told through their material culture. Through my work, I endeavour to redress the balance of untold histories"

Teleica leads this Cloth Connections discussion with Cheyney McKnight, founder of Not Your Momma’s History who acts as an interpreter advocate for interpreters of colour via the art of creative re-enactments, using her clothing and primary sources to make connections between past and present, and Elli Michaela Young, currently completing her PhD on the Jamaican Fashion Guild exploring the use of West Indian Sea Island Cotton and its links to the North of England.

Conversations in Creativity is Creative Lancashire’s series of talks and insightful interviews, where creatives from across the disciplines explore how inspiration, often from around the world, informs process.

This event will be hosted online. Livestream/Screencast access details to be announced.

About the Participants:

Teleica Kirkland is a fashion historian, Lecturer in Cultural and Historical Studies (CHS) at London College of Fashion, a PhD candidate at Goldsmiths University and the founder and Creative Director of the Costume Institute of the African Diaspora (CIAD) an organisation dedicated to researching the history and culture of dress and adornment from the African Diaspora. As an academic, she has travelled extensively establishing links with researchers, custodians, and practitioners across the globe curating projects and publishing work far and wide.

ciad.org.uk

Cheyney McKnight is founder of Not Your Momma’s History (NYMH), who acts as an interpreter advocate for interpreters of colour via the art of creative re-enactments, using clothing and primary sources to make connections between past and present. Not Your Momma's History consults with and aids museums, historical sites, historical societies in developing specialised programming about slavery and the African experience within 18th and 19th century America. NYMH also trains staff from all backgrounds on how to talk about slavery with diverse audiences.

notyourmommashistory.com

Elli Michaela Young is a part time PhD candidate at University of Brighton. Her research investigates how creolised styling practices which emerged in Jamaica’s were utilised in the construction of Jamaican identities during a period of transition from colony to independence (1950-1970). She has a BA in Design from London Metropolitan University and a MA in Postcolonial Cultures and Global Policy from Goldsmiths College. She has lectured at a number of UK universities and designed the University of Brighton’s first African Diaspora Fashion Module. She is currently a Teaching and Learning and Continuing Professional Development Officers for the Design History Society where she is responsible for developing and delivering events for design history’s constituency and a member of the National Archives User Advisory Group (UAG) Member.

arts.brighton.ac.uk/re/doctoral-centre-arts/student/young

Banner Image: Pelete Bite Sample provided by CIAD