Hoed van gevlochten bandstro met rechte bol en brede, afhangende rand, versierd met gestrikt lint van zwart grosgrain c. 1940 - 1944

This hat of woven straw with a grosgrain ribbon was crafted by Gérard Albouy at an unknown date. Imagine all that looping and coiling, and wrapping and tying that went into it. All that construction! I try to put myself in Albouy’s shoes, or should I say, on Albouy’s head?! What's going on in his head? How to turn a ribbon into a piece of sculpture? How to add a touch of elegance and flair to the wearer? The dark ribbon cinches the straw and pulls it into shape, creating a fascinating, contrasting effect. It feels like a drawing in space, the ribbon pushing and pulling at the form, a dance between control and release. Looking at this piece, I think of other artists who play with form and function, challenging our perceptions and ways of seeing. It's all one big conversation, artists riffing off each other, each one adding their own brushstroke to the story. Ultimately, it's about seeing the world in a new way, embracing the unexpected and finding beauty in the everyday.