Maternal veil (Pido) c. 1920

This *Maternal Veil*, or *Pido* as it's also known, shimmers with a soft yellow ground and intricate borders patterned with elephants and geometric forms. I imagine the making of it was slow, deliberate, and likely a communal activity. Think about the person, or people, who made this. Picture them carefully applying dyes to the cloth, building up these complex designs with a steady hand. I’m interested in the cultural role these textiles had to play. How the maker's touch is imbued with meaning and purpose. The repetition of motifs creating rhythm and a sense of harmony, communicating stability and protection. The central medallion, with its radiating pattern, perhaps signifying unity or wholeness. I’m moved by how artists across time have explored ideas of family, identity, and cultural heritage through the language of pattern and design.