GENOME BEADWORK
The scientific research that inspired this design was published in Nature magazine in 2020, and the Marigold beadwork response to the data was featured on the cover.
This design is a translation of genetic admixture data plots. The hand-loomed beadwork is a tactile reminder of the humans abstractly represented by the data.
The link below discusses the research and the decision to feature the beadwork on the cover:
The YouTube link below shows Wits researchers discussing their work on African genomes. Michèle Ramsay explains the Marigold beadwork design based on the research: ‘This pan-African genomic study has inspired art. These are beads that have been made by the Marigold beadwork co-operative in Zimbabwe, where each column, or line of beads represents an individual and the colours each represent different ancestries’.
Elsabé Brits reported on the genomic research for Daily Maverick:
