Hanging (toran panel) c. mid 20th century

This toran panel was made by Vagadia Rabari at an unknown date using cotton and mirrors. Can you imagine sitting and stitching these colorful symmetrical patterns, surrounded by a community of makers? I imagine the artist working intuitively, the composition emerging through trial and error. The mirrors catch the light, creating a play of reflections, but, like memory, it’s also a bit distorted. Look at the geometry. The perfect symmetry, the circles and squares, triangles, diamonds and zig-zags - these shapes give the piece a sense of order and rhythm. But within that is a riot of color, which lends a feeling of freedom. We see examples of the use of geometric forms in the work of artists like Anni Albers or Sophie Taeuber-Arp, and in the work of contemporary artists like Etel Adnan, too. This textile shares painting’s ability to embrace ambiguity and uncertainty, inviting multiple readings.