Textile Band c. 20th century

Curator: Here we have an intriguing piece, a Textile Band dating from around the 20th century. It resides here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, showcasing weaving techniques from the Indigenous Americas. Editor: It’s giving me such a primal, ritualistic vibe, all bold reds and repeating figures... and look at the edges, it’s all a bit unkempt. Almost defiant! Curator: Exactly! And consider that this "unkemptness" isn't a lack of skill, but perhaps a choice, an embrace of materiality. You see the tight weaves contrasted against the looser fringe work along the side. This piece isn't just about aesthetics; it’s about process. How labor is imbued in every fiber. I suspect the undulations of its pattern relate somehow to that labor... Editor: Yes, I love the visual narrative playing out along the length. I can trace its movement, and as my eye flows up and down I get an amazing sense of connection to its maker, imagining hands, so much time! It tells such an incredible story; one I want to dive right in and find the symbolic secrets hidden there. Each bird-like being looks almost watchful. Curator: Ah, yes! Figuration within Indigenous textiles is so deliberate. How those specific animal forms, what local resources are available... down to which natural dyes created that red ground! Understanding this piece, requires us to move beyond an art historical lens toward a historical materials lens to see the significance! It makes me wonder who labored to create that band, was this work gendered? Was it for an individual or community ritual? Editor: Ooh, the potential of this band's purpose… could it be used to tell ancient myths through repeated motif? To give form to inner visions and sacred animal dreams, so tactile in its reality? Curator: That kind of questioning allows us to view the piece, "Textile Band", with a much broader appreciation. Editor: Indeed. The intimacy created between viewer and artifact is incredibly visceral; allowing ourselves to become part of an ongoing historical creation is such a treat.