Tassel 1950

This striking tassel, from the Siwa Oasis, is constructed from wool and buttons. Look at how the maker has approached this piece; it feels so instinctive, so process-led. I mean, it's a tassel but it's also got this weird, almost totemic quality, right? The wool has a great texture and the palette is earthy, warm – rusty reds and greens punctuated by the bright white of the buttons. It’s a real celebration of the materials, an exploration of what wool can do. There's this one little strand, right at the bottom, this thin red thread that's come loose. It’s tiny, but it makes the whole thing feel so alive, so human. This piece reminds me of the playfulness and material explorations of artists like Sheila Hicks, who push the boundaries of textile art. Ultimately, I think it invites us to embrace the unpredictable, the messy, the imperfect. It's about seeing the beauty in the unexpected, the power in the process.