Mentah c. 20th century

Editor: This textile work, called "Mentah," is from the 20th century and is now housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Made using fibre art techniques and woven from cotton, it strikes me as being very intentionally…earthy? Almost like looking at lines of cultivated fields from above. What jumps out at you? Curator: Earthy, I love that! It reminds me of looking at geological strata in a cliff face, all those horizontal layers holding stories. And consider that each of these lines wasn't just *placed* there. It was carefully considered. Deliberately woven. Someone poured hours, maybe days, into the repetitive motion, and repetition can lead to a very deep meditative state. The artist *became* the pattern. It’s not just a textile, it's a record of devotion. What do you think about the small details versus the overall impact? Editor: I hadn't thought about the meditative aspect! Focusing on the small details, it's intriguing how they almost disappear into a blur when you step back, which highlights how the larger composition of horizontal stripes dominates. Is that blurring intentional, or perhaps a consequence of the technique? Curator: Ah, now there’s the magic, isn't it? Perhaps it's both. A knowing that the overall effect carries more emotional weight than any single thread, yet a complete reliance on each thread being exactly where it should be. We’re each of us both, don't you think? Detailed and expansive. Small, yet contributing to something so much larger. Editor: That's beautifully put! I’m definitely looking at it with new eyes now, appreciating not just the visual appeal but also the dedication and perhaps the state of mind imbued within. Curator: Absolutely. It makes you wonder what sort of mental space the maker occupied when she…or he… created it.