Bag c. early 20th century

This anonymously made bag, of undetermined date, currently lives at the Minneapolis Institute of Art; it is an absolute marvel of pattern making. The crafter deployed simple stitches in a disciplined grid of color, transforming the plane of the bag into a playful dialogue between color and form. The texture is obviously tactile, you can almost feel the give of the yarn between your fingers as you move around the image. The tan ground is punctuated by these lovely, saturated pops of red and blue, and as your eye moves across the surface of the work these colors begin to vibrate and hum. Look closely at the center, that incredible quasi-geometric floral pattern, and you'll see that each stitch is a tiny decision, a small adjustment within a larger set of pre-set constraints. I am reminded of the exacting, disciplined work of someone like Agnes Martin, where the slightest waver of the hand can transform the entire piece. Artmaking is so often about working within limitations, whether self-imposed or externally mandated, and this bag is a beautiful example of how to do just that.