Belt c. 20th century

This woven belt, made by an anonymous artist, shows a complex pattern in warm reds and browns. I love to imagine the maker patiently interlacing each thread, building up the intricate motifs line by line. I think of the hours spent sitting with the loom, perhaps years. The repetition of the process, the meditative act of weaving, how it builds up a kind of language that’s more than just decoration. The animals and geometric shapes float and merge; a beautiful, almost surreal landscape emerges from the structure of the weave. What stories or messages might they be trying to convey? I think of other artists, past and present, who find ways to explore the world through pattern and repetition, and how we are always learning from one another. I love how this piece embraces the slow, deliberate, and uncertain nature of creativity.