Hat c. 1925 - 1950

Here is a unique hat, made by an anonymous artist and held at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. I wonder, who wore this hat and what did it mean to them? Look at the stitches of the contrasting white thread dancing across the dark fabric, like thoughts materializing into form. The artist's hands moved deliberately, carefully, making sure the stitches were tight, precise, and meaningful. You can tell that they knew the feel of the fabric, the weight of the thread. I can imagine them, maybe sitting by a window, the light just so, as their needle pierces through the fabric again and again. Each stitch becomes a meditation, a way to pour their heart into something tangible. I’m thinking of artists like Ghada Amer, and her embroidered paintings, women's work writ large and political. This anonymous hatmaker’s work too is deeply embodied. Each choice is a small act of creation, a way of bringing something new into the world.