Rooster Hat c. 20th century

The Blue Hmong made this "Rooster Hat" with fiber, and probably a lot of patience. I love the way the maker thinks about color. It's not just about matching shades, but more about layering, a wild conversation of hues to achieve a certain vibrancy. Look closely at the textures. You can see the physicality of the thread. The way the lines are so carefully woven together, some thicker than others, the pom-poms attached, giving it this playful dimensionality. There’s something very human about that little bit of unevenness. It reminds us that art is not just about perfection, but it is about the process and care involved in creation. When I look at the blocks of colour, I think about the work of Anni Albers, another artist interested in process and materiality. There is something about the Rooster Hat that feels like a conversation between makers over time. It's like they’re both inviting us to slow down, to appreciate the labor, the love, and the stories embedded in the materials themselves.