Rug c. 20th century

This rug was made by the Navajo (Diné) people, and look at the way the colors are used. It’s like a painting where the brushstrokes are woven in, not brushed on. I’m drawn to how the ruby background color makes the diamond shapes float forward. Each one is like a little world, full of tans, blacks, grays, and whites. See how some diamonds are bolder, while others are subtle, like they're whispering secrets. And it's not just the colors, but the textures too, that give it a unique voice. Now, focus on one of the diamonds. The way the colors stack up, it makes you think about process—of building, of layering, of making. It reminds me of Anni Albers' weaving, not just in the geometry, but in the way she thought about weaving as a kind of language. Ultimately, it's about how we keep talking to each other through art, across different times and places.