Wrapper (Skirt) c. 20th century

This stunning Wrapper (Skirt) was made by the Yoruba people, and the precise date is currently unknown. Look at how the metallic threads shimmer against the off-white cloth, a process not so different from applying paint to a canvas. The vertical bands create a rhythmic pattern that draws the eye up and down, and this repetition gets me thinking about the artist's hand, patiently weaving the fabric. You can almost feel the texture, the way the light catches the metallic threads differently depending on the angle. There’s this one spot, about halfway down on the left side, where the gold thread seems to bunch up slightly, a small imperfection that somehow makes the whole piece feel more alive, more human. The cloth reminds me a little of Agnes Martin's grid paintings, in the way that it finds the sublime in simple repetition. But unlike Martin’s paintings, this skirt has a clear function, as an object to be worn and lived in. It’s art that moves, art that participates in the world, and that’s something I find endlessly inspiring.