Segusha 1930 - 1940

This is a Segusha textile by Lakai, and it’s here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Look at that rich red background, and the motifs sewn on top! Each one rendered in a different color, purple, yellow, green, black and white. It’s like Lakai is saying, “let’s try this one in every color!” And the multicolored tassels along the bottom, well they're just the cherry on top. Textiles have this incredible ability to carry stories. You can almost feel the artist’s hand in each stitch. Imagine Lakai carefully selecting each color, layering the shapes. It's not just decoration; it’s a conversation between the artist and the material. There’s an immediacy to the process that I find so appealing. It reminds me a little of the work of Faith Ringgold, how she brings together color, pattern and narrative to make something that feels both deeply personal and connected to broader cultural histories. When we start to see art as a kind of conversation, there's no end to what we can learn.