Axó of the spider woman: Black activism in Goya Lopes’s patterned fabrics

Abstract

This article delves into the remarkable work and journey of Goya Lopes, an Afro-Brazilian designer, entrepreneur and activist. It explores the intersection of fashion and art within her designs of patterned fabrics, which encompass a wide range of everyday and unique garments, household items and more. The discussion highlights pivotal moments in Lopes’s career, including her 2008 solo exhibition The African Diaspora in Brazil , her collaborative book Imagens da Diáspora (‘Images of the diaspora’) with Brazilian historian Gustavo Falcón in 2010 and her 2017 installation Sentidos Afro-Baianos (‘Afro-Bahian senses’). Through examining select fabric patterns, the article unveils their significance as integral components of Lopes’s ongoing anti-racist activism, which has spanned over five decades from the region of Bahia in northeastern Brazil. Lastly, it delves into Lopes’s unique conceptualization of her fabrics as axós , drawing on the Yoruba term for aso (‘cloth’), and highlights their role as empowering, protective and militant Afro-diasporic mantles. The article underscores how Lopes employs fashion design as a form of activism and a subtle yet potent means to propagate political ideas.