"Wandering Spirit: African Wax Prints"

The history of the African wax print is a history paved along colonial trade routes and globalization in the post-colonial era. Though not originally African, these textiles have become ingrained in African culture and society, and loved and identified by Africans as their own. The exhibition, curated by Dr. Gifty Benson and organized by ExhibitsUSA/Mid-America Arts Alliance of Kansas City, Missouri, traces the developmental pathway of the African wax print and tells how these fabrics reflect the stories, cultures and personalities of the people who wear them. Due to widespread closures due to the COVID-19 virus, the National Willa Cather Center has chosen to make this exhibit available virtually to our guests and students. Meanwhile, portions of the exhibit are visible from outside our Red Cloud Opera House Gallery. Lesson plans, supplemental information, high resolution photos, and more can be found at the link below.

ON DISPLAY virtually here

A program of ExhibitsUSA, a national division of Mid-America Arts Alliance with Nebraska Arts Council and The National Endowment for the Arts. Support from Humanities Nebraska allowed us to host this beautiful exhibit and develop educational materials to accompany it.

Funding was provided by Humanities Nebraska and the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.