No. 20 1904

This is No. 20, a fragment of a weaving, by an anonymous artist, and mounted on paper November 30, 1904. Given that the fragment is labeled "Navajo," we can assume it was made by a Navajo artist. In the early 20th century, many indigenous artists were not credited for their work, their individual contributions subsumed by the dominant culture's need to categorize and claim ownership. The Navajo, or Diné, have a rich history of weaving, with textiles serving as both functional objects and powerful expressions of cultural identity. Consider what it meant for a piece of someone’s cultural heritage, a fragment of their artistic expression, to be cataloged and pinned to a piece of paper. It asks us to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in such acts of documentation. We must acknowledge that this act flattens and erases the emotional and personal dimensions of the piece. It speaks to broader questions of cultural appropriation, preservation, and representation.