Crown Glory: Dallas Museum Takes Off His Cap To African Art That Says Much More Than "I Am Beautiful"

The professional indignation got the better of Roslyn Walker, Dallas Museum of Art curator of African art when she saw pictures of Jean-Paul Gaultier show, which opens at the museum in mid-November.

Walker acknowledged the history of African influences in the collection of French fashion, which were similar to sub-Saharan parts of the DMA's permanent collection. She said she realized that the museum's collection, along with large loans may result in an exhibition that plays well with screen Gaultier. It was an opportunity, says Walker, who could not resist.

So late, in addition to the DMA programming is "African headgear: beyond fashion," Walker curatorial effort to combat caps has resulted in civil or social status, gender, age, military rank, hunting skills, or religious beliefs with creations of fashion ornaments. He has not protected his intention, the subtitle, "Beyond Fashion", there you have on the line. These are the works of Afro-establish the social significance of the same weight as the five-bedroom home, your zip code, sports trophy, the fancy car and a stock portfolio - and expensive accessories are made Gaultier only to titillate the eye of fashion critic, and are rarely for resale or street fashion.

In his small three-gallery exhibition of 46 pieces are examples of heroism dramatic and humorous cross-cultural adaptations meaning sweet and crafts extravagant. Companion pieces are informative text panels and photographs of rooms, many of them still in use.

There are pieces that show the head in the final realization of a culture and those who want the companies are not yet to make their mark. As a rite of passage, Masai warriors are expected to kill a lion alone, armed only with a shield and a spear, and those who have lived and not have to tell their story - they had the lion's mane in a hat drink, that they dominate their male siblings. Young men who had not killed a lion had to use a large oval covered with ostrich feathers around their faces, like a skin toilet seat. Imagine the pressure to launch the oval and increasing the ranks of leading hair.

In a different headgear protective effect and protect your head with all sorts of dangers, such as spears, as well as things that can fall from the trees, such as snakes and poisonous insects. Some are made of densely woven fiber, others are brass plated. But all carry some form of decoration: cowry shells, feathers, fur or pearls. One of the great helmet from the Democratic Republic of Congo, which looks like Regal is actually intended for a child. Fabric conical hat, with long, tapering behind the brim would shield a child who was the mother Papoose style is back.

Many are used on ceremonial occasions. Zulu brides wear a big plate of human hair that is dyed felted, and okra. The bride and the mother in her hair to make a hat, raffia integrated, where twisting and weaving in a big circle. It symbolizes the bond between mother and son.

The wives of the Himba people, pastors of Namibia, you must use caps cowhide that simulate a cow's head with a rolled edge, framed by long ears cowlike the bride carries in the first months of her married life . Structure causes a kind of tunnel vision, said Walker, who is literally married focuses solely on his destiny, and symbolic of his new life as a married woman. She later Don a key element of goat skin that looks like a little crown of flowers and a long bushy tail with hair.

Caps invoke other strictures of society. Lega peoples in the Democratic Republic of Congo has a governing body of the elderly instead of a single leader. The men wear sawamazembe Lega, a hat that looks like braided hair of a woman and women wear a muzombolo a medallion topped with a phallic shape. This cross-gender distribution emphasizes mutual support for the benefit of the community, said Walker.

Then there is the royal crowns, the most elaborate of them are from the Yoruba people of Nigeria. Large conical hats topped with effigies of birds and decorated with royal ancestors and a veil of beads similar papal miter. The bird head is the communication between heaven and earth, and the long cascade of pearls is to hide the wearer so that the focus is on the ancestors.

For more casual occasions, the king of Yoruba can use the hat is all white pearl seed that seems trendy English barrister wig. This cultural adaptation of the British authorities is used, when the king is to serve as president of a local court, or to attend ribbon-cutting ceremony. Bead work is very nice and the cap is much thinner than the cranky-looking wigs, emulating one.

For the volume, nothing comes close to the top of real messenger of Cameroon. The large puff ball purple raffia, which is 2 meters in diameter, is one of the stars of the show for its size and clever construction, allowing it to be folded upon itself for storage.

Also on display is a modern Gele Nigeria, which is a length of hardened tissue matching the size of a hand in it, becomes a hat made dramatic folds like a butterfly or a flower. When done correctly, and you have a master, not pins are used - just a smart twist.

"African Headwear" exhibition is an interesting passage DMA in the current exhibition, "The Art of Native America," which seems like headdress social differences, and shows it to pay, "the fashion world, Jean Paul Gaultier:. From sidewalk and catwalk "It 'a reminder that ornament to convey the wealth and status, but in many cases of transmission of information much more meaningful.