Tassel 1950

This "Tassel" was likely made in Siwa Oasis by an artist whose name we don't know, using fiber and buttons. Imagine the maker carefully selecting each strand, knotting and layering the red and green wool, like building up washes of color on a canvas. Those white buttons punctuate the earthier tones – they almost look like eyes, don't they? I wonder if the artist worked intuitively, or if it was pre-planned? Either way, I imagine them handling the materials, enjoying the textures and the slow, rhythmic process. The way the fibers gather and then explode out at the bottom reminds me a bit of a Lee Bontecou sculpture – her strange, dark, tentacled forms. But this piece also has a charming playfulness, like a Dr. Seuss character. Ultimately, it’s the sensitivity to material, the repetition, and the quirky composition that draws me in. It reminds me that art-making is an ongoing conversation between artists, materials, and ideas.