Mat 1956

This Mat was made by Mrs. Charles Strong, we don't know when, but it was woven with plant fiber. Looking at this piece, I'm thinking a lot about process. There's something really beautiful in the way that, while being so intricate, the materials themselves are humble. Each mark, a strand of plant fiber, has a texture and color that are really earthy. There's a kind of grid created by the process, but the surface still seems to breathe. The way the lighter and darker strands alternate creates all these optical vibrations. I love how the maker uses the materials to create a sense of depth. The lines aren’t perfectly straight. There’s a wobble and weave in them, a kind of rhythmic pulse, that reminds you of a hand-made process, someone actually making something with their hands and their body. You could almost compare Mrs. Strong to someone like Anni Albers, who also explored the grid in weaving. But Mrs. Strong’s work has a kind of rawness that is totally its own. Art is all about conversations and exchanges, but each artist has their own voice.