Aso Oke: Prestige Cloth from Nigeria explores textiles created by Yoruba weavers in southwestern Nigeria that were fashioned into clothing for celebratory and ceremonial occasions from the early 19th to late 20th century.  

Three elemental types of aso oke (ah-shō ōkay)—sanyan (undyed raw silk), alaari (magenta-dyed silk), and etu (indigo)—form the foundation upon which weavers have implemented boundless material and design innovations.  

Selections from the Museum’s permanent collection join recent acquisitions of agbada men’s robes, representing the etu, sanyan, and alaari forms of aso oke. Mid 20th-century cloths from a local collector complement this elemental triad, demonstrating innovative techniques such as ikat, openwork, carryover threads, and mixed strip assemblage, along with weft-float motifs ranging from geometric designs to lettered messages. Late 20th-century cloths, incorporating new materials such as Lurex, rayon, and other materials, elicit a luminous effect while still referencing the fundamental aso oke triad. 

Sanyan is the muse for Nigerian studio-based artist Nengi Omuku, whose work will be seen in the exhibition. Omuku applies her oil painting directly on this cloth collected from markets in Nigeria. A painting will introduce visitors to Omuku’s specific engagement with aso oke that asserts presence for both her painted compositions and the cloth itself. A complementary painting by the artist will also be featured in the Museum’s East Building.

Aso Oke: Prestige Cloth from Nigeria is curated by Nichole N. Bridges, the Morton D. May Curator of the Arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas, with Shaka K. Myrick, 2021–2023 Romare Bearden Graduate Fellow.