Le Grand Boubou

Le Grand Boubou (The Grand Dress) subtly reveals the beauty and tradition of West African women and culture. I began this body of work 18 years ago during my Fulbright residence in The Gambia and continued in Senegal, Guinea & Mali over five years. In 2021 I returned to the series, including portraits of women in the United States. The Grand Boubou has been a fashionable component and necessity for women primarily from West Africa. It always stays in style and constantly seems to reinvent itself well over decades. The Boubou may also symbolize status and elegance.

The Boubou can be elaborately adorned with embroidery or perhaps locally hand dyed onto high quality (Cotton/Bazin Riche) with intricate patterns. These colorful works of art are worn in everyday life and concurrently at weddings, local ceremonies, and prayers.

New York City is home to some of the largest West African Communities. Glimpses of their dress, celebrations, and customs can occasionally be seen while walking down a city block. This body of work explores the styles and aesthetics while simultaneously asking the viewer to step back and take a closer look into these women's lives. Often they are entrepreneurs in a global business of African textiles and tie-dye and support African women from the continent and throughout Europe, Asia, the United States & many parts of the world occupied by these sub-communities. Unsurprisingly, the artisans who create these elaborate patterns and myriads of colors have used these techniques as early as the 11th Century. Many styles have influenced the global runways of fashion week, the patchwork of local tailoring shops, and pop-culture associations. In a world where globalization has made fashion accessible to everyone at mass-produced and reduced quality, these garments have become one-of-a-kind masterpieces. Popular culture has spread its influence in the vast local markets in Africa, where you can find the same high-quality Bazin Riche tie-dye with popular names such as Facebook and VIP.