Woman's ceremonial skirt (Lushai) Date Unknown

This woman's ceremonial skirt was woven by the Lushai people and is now held at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The skirt presents a structured, horizontal composition dominated by vibrant reds, interwoven with geometric patterns. The vivid palette and precise symmetry create a visual rhythm, yet this apparent order contains subtle variations. The eye is drawn to the contrasting bands of zigzag and dotted patterns, each bordered by stripes of yellow, pink, and green. These elements function as visual signs, encoding cultural meanings and social values within their arrangement. Notably, the regularity is interrupted by areas of black, suggesting an engagement with the dialectic between order and disruption, presence and absence. This interplay challenges a singular reading, inviting interpretations beyond the purely aesthetic. The skirt destabilizes fixed meanings, offering a dynamic interface between individual expression and collective identity.