waistcoat
- Museum number
- Af1998,03.7
- Description
-
Sleeveless waistcoat made of indigo-dyed cotton (denim) decorated with discharged calligraphic patterns inspired by the form of Arabic letters. The waistcoat is machine-sewn, composed of a back piece and two side pieces; there are no front fastenings. Waistcoat is inscribed on inside of back piece with signature of artist: 'Nja' in Roman and Arabic scripts and date 'mars 98' in black ink.
- Production date
- 1997
- Dimensions
-
Length: 72 centimetres
-
Width: 63.50 centimetres
- Curator's comments
- Eth.Doc.375. Waistcoat made by the Tunisian contemporary artist, Nja Mahdaoui, in 1997. One in a series of similar waistcoats which were worn by members of the percussion band, Joussour, in performances, organised by Nja Mahdaoui, throughout Tunisia. This waistcoat was acquired by British Museum staff following a performance which took place at Tunis railway station in February 1997 to celebrate the end of Ramadan. Mahdaoui is one of Tunisia's leading contemporary artists who frequently uses 'calligrams' (stylised calligraphic forms derived from the shape of Arabic letters) in his work.
- Location
- Not on display
- Condition
- Good.
- Associated events
- Associated Event: Performance by percussion band 'Joussour'
- Acquisition date
- 1998
- Acquisition notes
- This is one of three collections made by Ethnography Department staff as part of a fieldwork and contemporary collecting project in Tunisia (February - March 1998) sponsored by British Petroleum. For details of other collections see Af1998,01-02. This collection was purchased directly from the artist at his home/studio in La Marsa, Tunisia.
- Department
- Africa, Oceania and the Americas
- Registration number
- Af1998,03.7
