Handwoven Reversible Area Rug c. 20th century

This Handwoven Reversible Area Rug was created by the Cranbrook Art Museum and is made of fibre. The textures and colors in this rug feel so inviting! Look at the way the dark shapes disrupt the otherwise neutral palette of tans and creams, creating moments of visual interest that are kind of like the feeling you get when a song changes tempo unexpectedly. I like how the weaving creates an almost three-dimensional effect, with each strand of fiber adding depth and dimension to the overall composition. It reminds me of how Eva Hesse, a sculptor that I admire, worked with unconventional materials like latex and fiberglass to create forms that blurred the boundaries between painting and sculpture. You could say, in both cases, that the medium is the message. This rug reminds me that art is an ongoing conversation, an exchange of ideas across time, so what feels new or exciting today can have roots in the past.