Textile c. 18th century

Editor: Here we have an 18th-century Aymara Textile from the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It seems to be made of woven wool and displays vertical stripes. There’s something soothing about its simple pattern, almost meditative. What catches your eye when you look at this piece? Curator: Soothing is a good word for it. I’m immediately struck by how the seemingly simple lines sing. You have the grounding, almost earthy quality of the dark red backdrop playing off the golden lines – they practically vibrate against that red! Can you sense the echoes of landscapes here, the Andes perhaps? Editor: I hadn’t thought about the landscape. Now that you mention it, I see the earth in the red and the sun in the gold. Are these textiles just decorative, or do they serve other functions? Curator: That’s where it gets interesting. This isn’t just decoration. Think about it – textiles were, and are, incredibly valuable. They can represent status, tell stories, and are integral to cultural identity. A weaving like this could’ve been a significant marker of who you were in Aymara society. Did you notice how thin the golden lines are, some thicker than others? Editor: Yes, it looks deliberate but slightly irregular. Curator: Exactly! It's that beautiful handmade quality that gets me every time. Each variation probably speaks of a weaver making choices. Isn't that something? Imagine the weaver humming a tune while choosing between gold or the burgundy color for the next yarn... We can still admire this object. Editor: I will never look at a simple pattern the same way. Curator: Me neither! Every line has a story, don’t you think? A beautiful one.