Jas van ribfluweel en hondehaar 1944 - 1945

Ans Talma van Griethuysen made this jacket, ‘Jas van ribfluweel en hondehaar’ using corduroy and dog hair - what a combination! It’s not about whether the garment is conventionally pretty, but the combination of a practical approach to making and the imagination to see the potential of the materials. The texture of that corduroy is amazing, and it is a good reminder that sometimes materials that have a slightly repellent quality, like a ridged fabric, or even the hairy quality of dog hair, can be incredibly attractive. Look at the line of the collar and the way it frames the neck. I love the tension created between the textures and the tailored shape of the jacket. It’s an object that embraces ambiguity. You can see the influence of art as a practical process in the work of El Anatsui, he works with discarded materials to create dynamic tapestries that move between sculpture and painting.