Name: Zahara the 2008 WeLoveBlackDolls Club Doll
Made by and When: Ping Lau, 2008
Material: (Zahara) Resin head, shoulder plate, arms, and legs; cloth body, synthetic wig, paint; (smaller doll) cloth, lace fabric, and paint
Marks: (Shoulder plate) Ping / 2008 (incised inside a raised resin rectangle) / 2008 WLBD; the smaller doll is unmarked
Height: 12 inches; the smaller held doll is 5 inches
Hair, Eyes, Mouths: Zahara has a handmade black curly wig accented with two fabric roses, brown painted eyes, slightly parted lips with two upper teeth. The held doll has black-painted hair and facial features.
Clothes: Zahara wears a sewn-on white floral-print dress that has a white eyelet bodice and embroidered flowers at the neckline. The white pantalettes match the dress fabric. White sandals were added by the curator. The smaller doll wears a sewn-on full-length dress with a white cotton bodice, attached off-white lace skirt, and painted-on pantalettes. The feet are bare.
Other: In 2008, the WeLoveBlackDolls Yahoo! email discussion group commissioned Ping Lau to make their annual club doll. A limited edition of 25 identical dolls were made. The doll in this installation is #1/25. The smaller doll, made by Ping’s sister, is made in the same style as a late 1800s Izannah Walker doll.
Gallery
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