Woman's Bib c. 20th century

textile, cotton

pattern heavy

textile

collage layering style

fashion and textile design

hand-embroidered

fabric design

repetition of pattern

pattern repetition

cotton

textile design

beaded

layered pattern

This "Woman's Bib" is a striking example of traditional Hmong textile art, dating back to the 20th century. Created using the indigo dyeing and wax resist technique, the bib features a complex geometric pattern of concentric circles, spirals, and stars, all rendered in white against a deep blue background. These designs are believed to hold symbolic meanings within the Hmong culture. The bib is currently housed in the Minneapolis Institute of Art.

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minneapolisinstituteofart about 1 year ago

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In Hmong tradition, women have created complex textiles, often with geometric, abstracted patterns, that provide a shared visual language within an oral culture. Among the most difficult to produce are indigo batiks, which depend on a resist-dyeing process. First, the design is drawn on the cloth with wax, which resists dyeing and protects the pattern. Then the cloth is dipped in an indigo dye bath. Next, the wax is removed, revealing the intricate design. Patterns signify communal values, with the spiral motifs seen here associated with family. Over centuries of displacement, the Hmong use textiles as a primary transmitter of culture.