Bògòlanfini (“Mud Cloth”)
Santoro (Karatela)
Description
Subject Matter:
This is a bògòlanfini (mud cloth) made by the artist Santoro (Keratela) in Mali during the 1970s. Its repeated image is based on the movie poster for the documentary Muhammad Ali, the Greatest (1974) by William Klein. Muhammad Ali began traveling to Africa in the 1960s, as he publicly embraced his African heritage and converted to Islam. In 1974, he competed against George Foreman in the famous “Rumble in the Jungle” heavyweight championship boxing match in DRC, a major event that William Klein’s film as well as this bògòlanfini commemorates.
Physical Description:
A large brown cloth with a thrice-repeated image of a smiling boxer in white shorts, identified by the text on his torso as "Muhammad Ali." Text at the bottom of each image reads "Santoro," "Karatela," and "San."
Usage Rights:
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