Group of three borders c. 20th century

Here’s a length of lace made anonymously, sometime, somewhere. Look at the way the maker built up the pattern from individual loops and knots. It's like drawing in three dimensions, a slow, deliberate process. What gets me about this piece is how the individual elements – the tiny floral motifs, the geometric grid – come together to create a delicate, almost fragile whole. You can almost feel the texture of the thread, the tension in the knots. The anonymous maker leaves a trace of themselves in each tiny, repetitive gesture. It reminds me of the work of Anni Albers, who elevated weaving to the level of fine art. Like Albers, this anonymous artist transforms a humble material into something beautiful and thought-provoking. It makes you think about the hidden labor and skill that goes into so many of the objects that surround us. It shows how meaning can be found even in the smallest and most unassuming of things.