WHAT?  Ibrahim Mahama: Purple Hibiscus

WHERE?  Barbican Lakeside Terrace, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS  

WHEN?  Now until 18th August.  Free to view 

WHY GO?  To feel purple reign!  The collective skills of Ghanaian craftspeople have led to an uplifting installation covering one of London’s most iconic buildings and it’s a sight to behold.  

Two countries with one mission spread the love of textile art. 

This unique project is the creation of Ghanaian installation artist Mahama, who, inspired by his country’s traditional batakari royal robes, collaborated with local communities who have stitched and sewed patches onto swathes of purple cloth.  

Perpetuating the lifespan of precious textiles, this is recycling at its pinnacle.

The all enveloping artwork is linked to the Barbican’s current exhibition Unravel: The Power & Politics of Textiles in Art and reminds us that traditional textiles will always play a part in connecting communities.  

Named after Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s best selling book, Purple Hibiscus, the commission uses 2000 square metres of bespoke woven cloth sewn together by hand to create colossal panels.

The Barbican’s Brutalist concrete exterior has never looked so colourful, though quite what the local animated bird-life makes of it, we’ll never know!

IN THE KNOW  Ibrahim Mahama is an artist who repurposes functional objects such as sacks and sewing machines to create provocative artworks.

Never one to shy away from mega site specific installations, at just 37 he has already made a name through draping architectural structures though this monumental London artwork is most certainly his biggest challenge.