Patterns of Contact—Designs from the Indian Ocean World: A Curator’s View

Abstract

Background “Patterns of Contact: Designs from the Indian Ocean World” held in 2014 at Iziko Museum, Cape Town, presented a rare and exciting opportunity for public and private collections to showcase rare objects depicting the visual culture of the early colony of south east Africa and how it was influenced by its contact with the Indian Ocean world. This was done through the exhibits and background stories of works of art, rare maps, ceramic and porcelain objects, silks, cotton textiles, hig...