Harmony of Grigris by Ange Dakouo

This textile work explores the practice of wearing personal protective amulets, often called gris-gris in West Africa. An array of gris-gris has been created using briquettes made from compressed cardboard. Each briquette is covered with newspaper in homage to the artist’s father who worked as a printer. The gris-gris, all of varying sizes, are assembled using cotton thread to create a lattice-like structure. Combined, they have the appearance of a patchwork tapestry. Shells, some encased in red thread, are also attached to the lattice. The artist stresses a spiritual dimension to the work, which acts as a metaphor for the search for diversity and harmony.