Basket c. 20th century

This small basket was woven by a Tohono O’odham artist, using fiber. The artist uses a restrained palette, a creamy off-white and dark brown which gives the piece a graphic punch. The animals, maybe dogs, are arranged around a central point in the basket. The basket has a beautiful texture and a tight weave; you can almost feel the artist’s hand as they carefully placed each piece of fiber. The artist’s hand isn’t hidden, it’s celebrated. Look closely and you’ll see slight imperfections, a wobble here and there that adds to its charm. The dark animals and their implied movement create a strong contrast with the basket’s stasis. The dark repeated marks create an exciting rhythm, while the small variations give it a quality of being handmade. Thinking about this basket, I’m reminded of the work of Anni Albers, whose weavings also combined geometric abstraction with a sensitivity to materials and process. Both artists invite us to slow down, to look closely, and to appreciate the beauty of simple forms.