Trim c. 20th century

Curator: Taking a look at this lovely textile piece by the Sisters of the Order of St. Benedict, entitled "Trim," dating to around the 20th century. Editor: It strikes me as reverent but with an almost jazzy syncopation. I see solemnity mixed with zest in that repeated motif of crosses and diamonds. It feels less like decoration, more like a visual prayer. Curator: Yes, it is intriguing how they blend the religious symbol of the cross with what we see categorized as "decorative art." Do you read any particular symbolic weight in that choice of repetition? Editor: Absolutely. Repetition isn't just aesthetic—it’s incantatory. Each diamond and cross stacks atop each other in the work, a visual litany, grounding the viewer, calling to the ceaseless echo of cultural memory. Curator: You can sense that in this piece; the cultural memory feels built into the structure itself. Does the geometric style, how abstracted it is, speak to the artwork? Editor: Precisely. Geometric abstraction lets the symbol speak beyond direct representation, suggesting the divine's omnipresence—crosses within crosses, truths within truths, revealed in an endless mirroring. Curator: This artwork resides here at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It's something that can inspire awe in how direct and unornamented it is. What emotions does this stir in you? Editor: Honestly, a longing for the monastic, a retreat into patterned rhythm and silent contemplation. Also, I ponder the hands that labored over these stitches and the silent intent woven within. Curator: Considering what we've both been reflecting on, how can someone today interpret this expression that dates back so long ago? Editor: As an artifact of devotion meeting abstraction—reminding us of faith’s interplay with human ingenuity. Ultimately, "Trim" prompts us to examine how sacred echoes ripple across cultural forms.