Woman's Skirt Length c. 20th century

Editor: Here we have "Woman's Skirt Length", a cotton textile from around the 20th century. It's currently housed here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The indigo blue color is really striking against the stark geometric pattern created by the alternating horizontal lines. What exactly are we looking at here? Curator: Indeed. The immediate impact resides in the chromatic contrast, but its compositional construction relies solely on horizontal lines, exploring repetition and interval. It’s less about what’s depicted, and more about the visual relationships created by the structure. Notice how the width and spacing between the lines isn’t perfectly uniform, subtly disrupting the anticipated rhythm. What does this variation evoke in you? Editor: It creates a sense of handmade-ness. It prevents it from feeling too rigid or industrial. I'm also curious how you perceive the materiality. The description does not specify fiber details or handle or feel. Curator: The very slight irregularity suggests that something beyond cold geometric abstraction is at play here. The weave, the materiality itself, asserts itself. While a perfect geometric grid emphasizes pure concept, the deviations and density, in the materiality here brings the artwork closer to lived experience, human fallibility even. The imperfections visible are more visually satisfying that perfectly spaced weaving because its asymmetrical geometry introduces complex mathematical models. Editor: I hadn't thought about the 'lived experience' that those minor imperfections impart. This changes my viewing of the piece in terms of structure; each variance could tell a different part of its production story. Curator: Precisely. A focus on purely structural relationships encourages such contemplation beyond simple aesthetics. Editor: That’s an insightful point about the interplay between structure, materials and variance. It’s not about exact reproduction but about the feeling communicated. Curator: A useful lens when approaching textile works of any era.