Hooked Rug c. 1939

This hooked rug was made by Henry Granet, though we don’t know exactly when. Looking at the way Granet built up this image, I’m reminded that making art is often about a process of accumulation. Here, the wool is looped through a backing fabric, one stitch at a time, eventually forming this whole scene. Two elephants and what looks like a hand reach out from a landscape filled with muted browns, reds and blues. I am really drawn to the lettering on the right-hand side – 'MANDA APRU 1897'– it's as if Granet is reminding himself of something, or maybe it’s a kind of dedication. I like to think of art as this type of ongoing conversation, with a sense of connection and exchange between people and moments in time. The ambiguity of its meaning makes the piece more intriguing, allowing us to project our own interpretations onto it.