Rug c. 20th century

This rug was made by a Navajo (Diné) artist, and it presents a series of vertical stripes colored white and a rusty red. The creation of such textiles is deeply process-oriented, with each thread carefully placed to build the overall design. The texture of the rug is palpable. You can almost feel the wool under your fingers. The rusty red dye, likely derived from natural pigments, gives the piece an earthy quality. The contrasting black lines in the red stripes are really something, like stacked chevrons, zigging and zagging their way up and down. They add an element of visual complexity and rhythm, making the stripes dance before your eyes. And these lines are not perfectly straight, which gives the whole piece a kind of handmade charm, like it was made with love and care. The rug reminds me of the work of Anni Albers, who also explored the intersection of textile and art. Both artists embrace ambiguity, inviting multiple interpretations rather than fixed meanings.