Rooster Hat c. 20th century

This Rooster Hat was made by the Blue Hmong people, its a riot of color and pattern. I love the concentric layers, and I can just imagine the maker, carefully stitching each line, each square, each little pom-pom! What might they have been thinking as they worked? Maybe of the person who would wear it, or the special occasion it would adorn? I think of those red stripes as little stitches like a musical staff, or the yellow bands, each with its own rhythm. This piece feels so joyful, so alive with intention. It reminds me that art isn't just about what hangs on a wall; it's in the everyday objects that bring beauty and meaning to our lives. Like the conversations painters have across canvases and time, the Blue Hmong artist participates in a long tradition of creativity and expression. This hat embodies ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations, and shows us how art helps us to experience the world.