Zahrah Atif, More than a Woman. Mixed media. 18 x 24 inches. Florida International University, USA, 2026
Project Statement
Choosing the topic “Bodies of Color: Geographies of Form” as a group, I decided to make my poster a collaborative weaving of textile patterns from different cultures. I selected three patterns to weave into the poster.
Choosing the topic “Bodies of Color: Geographies of Form” as a group, I decided to make my poster a collaborative weaving of textile patterns from different cultures. I selected three patterns to weave into the poster.
On the left side of the poster, I used a cloth referred to as barkcloth, or “Pongo cloth,” from Congo in Central Africa. This pattern comes from a woman’s ceremonial skirt, and the cloth is traditionally known to be made by women. The second pattern, used in the hair of the woman depicted, is Kente cloth from Ghana, which is made from narrow strips of cloth sewn together. The final pattern, on the right-hand side, is an Ajrak block print, traditionally used in Pakistan and India and commonly worn by women. Each pattern represents a form of female visual identity across a different culture and geography. These patterns are physically woven into a black-and-white image of a beautiful Black woman, who serves as the central figure. The papers are woven together to represent the universality of women around the world.
The papers are woven together to represent the universality of women around the world. The patterns emerge and weave into the image to symbolize different women and their cultural identities. The text reads “more than a woman” in Afrikaans, Hindi, and English, expressing the idea that women are more than societal expectations and standards.
Self Reflection
"I enjoyed collaborating with students across South Africa and India. It was enjoyable and insightful learning about their cultures and seeing the ideas of design students! We were quickly able to develop a theme within our group and communicate by sharing our ideas via whatsapp and canvas. I will say however with the time zones and communication via text only it became difficult at times and we had a misunderstanding at one point but we were able to quickly get
back on track and make this work."
"I enjoyed collaborating with students across South Africa and India. It was enjoyable and insightful learning about their cultures and seeing the ideas of design students! We were quickly able to develop a theme within our group and communicate by sharing our ideas via whatsapp and canvas. I will say however with the time zones and communication via text only it became difficult at times and we had a misunderstanding at one point but we were able to quickly get
back on track and make this work."
Image of the process, collage. Courtesy of the designer Zahrah Atif. Florida International University, USA, 2026