Skirt for a Married Woman c. 20th century

Koniba Diarra, from the village of Kolokani, made this skirt for a married woman and covered it with regular, repeating geometric shapes. I can imagine the artist carefully painting each line, each square, each triangle, using what I imagine is a very fine brush. There is a strong sense of rhythm in this cloth. Diarra probably worked on it for days, maybe weeks, repeating the same marks over and over again. I think about Agnes Martin, who also worked with grids; there is something calming and meditative about repetition. Diarra would know if she made a mistake, but I bet she kept going. What was she thinking as she worked? Did she think about the woman who would wear the skirt? Did she think about marriage? There are so many questions, but one thing is for sure: this skirt is a beautiful work of art. Artists like Diarra keep the conversation going, reminding us of the power of simple marks and repetition.