Materials from Patchwork Bedspread c. 1936

Frances Lichten put together this study of Materials from Patchwork Bedspread, we don't know exactly when, but given that she lived from 1855 to 1995, it might have been done any time in those years. I love how Lichten, whoever she was, captured these little scraps of fabric. The textures of each one, and the different patterns really speak of another time. It’s all about process, a close looking at these fabrics, a transcription of what is already there, elevated by Lichten’s careful eye. Look at the bottom left square, and the way the flowers sit on top of the brown backdrop. The brown sort of bleeds into everything, right? But then the colours of the flowers make the whole thing sing. The process feels so immediate, like she found these bits of fabric and just had to record them. I often think about the way artists working today are indebted to those of the past, Lichten’s work here reminds me of someone like Ree Morton and her interest in everyday objects and the ways they can be transformed through artmaking. Isn't it interesting how one artwork can lead us to another?