Shawl c. 20th century

This anonymously made ‘Shawl’ lives at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. I’m drawn to the way the creator approached this textile as a field of action. The deep blues are laid out with such clarity, repeating like echoes across the surface. It's like the artist was in conversation with the material, responding to the weave and texture with each deliberate mark. Up close, you can see how the blue bleeds slightly into the white, creating a soft, fuzzy edge that softens the pattern. The interplay of the threads and the dyes gives the shawl a unique presence, as if it's breathing with its own quiet energy. It makes me think of Agnes Martin's grids, but with a tactile warmth. Like a whisper, it invites you to lean in, to feel the weight and texture, to connect with the time and care that went into its making. There’s an immediacy to this shawl, reminding us that art is not just about the final product, but also about the process, the exchange, and the intimate connection between the maker and the material.