Ankara in Motion is a projection mapping installation that animates vibrant Ankara patterns onto plain fabrics. Ankara, also known as African wax print, is a colorful textile commonly used in clothing across West and Central Africa. Each animation is inspired by traditional Ankara designs and brought to life through animation. This project reimagines these iconic cultural patterns through the lens of afrofuturism, blending technology, animation, and fashion. My work draws inspiration from the art of Tonia Nneji and Yinka Shonibare, both artists of Nigerian descent who prominently feature cultural fabrics in their work.
Rooted in the use of Ankara in my home country, Nigeria, this project emphasizes African centralization. It advocates for African stories to be told by Africans, who can offer the depth and cultural understanding often missed by Western media when representing Africa's diverse countries and cultures.
Animations
Ankara Patterns and Storyboards
Common Nigerian ankara patterns were chosen to be digitally recreated and then animated into looping animations. I initially started with 2 ankara patterns which I created 3-4 storyboards of potential animations. I then chose one for each pattern and animated it. I then chose another 2 patterns which I created storyboards for. This time, I started with one animation and interpreted the pattern by focusing on different elements of the original ankara pattern.
The next step is to choose ankara patterns I will animate for each section of the installation and animate them to be naturally incorporated into a storyline.
Projection Mapping Tests
