Stunning Patterns: Woven Textiles from Madagascar's Merina Kingdom

A history of Eastern African silk weaving and its contemporary significance

Spanning the nineteenth-century Merina Kingdom, the French colonial state, and the contemporary republic, Stunning Patterns traces the rich history of Eastern African silk weaving in Madagascar, highlighting themes of royalty, resistance, reinvention, and resilience. As the first extensive publication on Malagasy textiles in more than 20 years and the only one to focus on Merina textiles, this richly illustrated book reflects new trends in studying Indian Ocean African arts and underscores the sustained relevance of Malagasy creative practices.

Drawing on international scholarship, the text examines the critical political, economic, and environmental factors affecting lamba—a pan-Malagasy textile used as a garment or shroud—and centers on the evolution of lamba akotifahana—a specific, intricately designed silk lamba—to analyze the impact of artists and stakeholder patrons on the art form’s transforming aesthetics, style, and materials. Showcasing previously unpublished works, this social art history sets revival lamba akotifahana in dialogue with ongoing tradition-based weaving and contemporary artworks, exploring pervasive concepts of authenticity, modernity, and identity.

Distributed for the Cleveland Museum of Art

Exhibition schedule:

Cleveland Museum of Art

(December 6, 2026–November 7, 2027)