Pair of Pants c. mid 20th century

This Pair of Pants, made by Dong, are at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and what strikes me most is how the textile has this wonderful color range. It's like watercolor in fabric form! The material here really tells a story. Look at how the indigo dye pools and fades across the upper section, giving it a depth that’s almost painterly. Then, the darker, more solid weave of the pants themselves, sturdy and practical. I’m drawn to the very bottom, where intricate patterns emerge like a collaboration between nature and geometry. The tiny birds give the piece a whimsical, light touch. I’m thinking about Anni Albers and her weaving practice, where she explored abstraction and structure in textiles, it's clear that artmaking, whether with paint or fabric, is about process, and this Pair of Pants really speaks to that ongoing conversation. Ultimately, it's about how we see and experience the world, one thread, one brushstroke at a time.