Panel 20th century

This textile panel was made by Nupe artists, and what strikes me is the making of it, the labour of it. I see the rhythmic composition of horizontal stripes, punctuated by vertical dashes and geometric motifs. It makes me think about colour and material. I love the thinness of the lines, the texture of the cloth. You get a sense of the artist's hand moving across the loom, repeating and improvising. Each stripe and motif is a gesture, communicating feeling, intention, and meaning. I wonder about the decision-making process: What happens when it becomes clear the work needs to shift? Or, how to push through a moment of difficulty? I imagine the artist making small adjustments, finding a new rhythm, and allowing the work to emerge through trial, error, and intuition. The work shifts, and we see that. Textiles have always had a close relationship with the world of painting. We are in conversation, influencing each other’s creativity. Painting is another form of embodied expression, embracing ambiguity and uncertainty, which allows for multiple interpretations.