Lunchtime Lecture: Textiles From Trees: Ugandan Bark Cloth

Live event, 01-DEC-2020, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm CST: "Textile from trees: Ugandan bark cloth" A Lunchtime Lecture by Lesli Robertson
For centuries and into today, bark from a specific tree is stripped, beaten, and used by the people of Uganda. The tree, with its bark removed, does not die, but grows its outer covering back to be used again and again, year after year.
Lubugo, or Ugandan barkcloth, has a diverse history from clothing kings to finding its way onto fashion runways in Europe. Lesli Robertson has been traveling to Uganda since 2005, where she first saw this rust colored cloth folded up in a roadside stall. Since, she has worked with artists, researchers, and community leaders in Uganda to assist in promoting and preserving this cloth.
In this lecture, Lesli gives a behind the scenes glimpse into her work and what she has learned from array of stakeholders who love this material, from fashion designers to 9th generation bark cloth makers. Look for her upcoming "Maker to Maker: Ugandan Barkcloth" hands-on virtual workshop at BRIT in January 2021. Also, visit her studio, www.mekekadesigns.com, to learn more about her current work.
Lunchtime Lectures are part of the Research Lecture Series at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas. For more information, please visit brit.org/lecture-series.