Woman’s ceremonial half overskirt (aksu) c. 20th century

This woman's ceremonial overskirt, or aksu, was made by Quechua people, and looking at the patterns you can see they aren't just decorations, but a language. It's like, each woven thread is a word in a story they're telling. The deep reds against the dark figures; it’s like the colors are vibrating. Notice how the texture of the fabric pulls you in. There are these bands of birds, repeated. It's this rhythm that is both grounding and kind of hypnotic. The birds are like messengers. This aksu reminds me of the work of Anni Albers who experimented with weaving as a form of visual art. Just like Albers, the Quechua artist is using the grid of the loom as a structure to play with pattern, color, and texture. Weaving allows for that kind of ambiguity. It leaves things open to interpretation.