Shirt collar 1930 - 1960

This shirt collar was made by Red Yao, and it is quite an evocative object. I just love the way the blocks feel so solid, like the foundation of something, even though it's textile. I think about how the maker, perhaps a woman, carefully stitched those geometric shapes, one after the other. How the repetitive action might be similar to the repetitive marks found in paintings. Almost meditative! The symmetry is also really striking. It's like the maker is saying: here is a system. Here is order. But then you look closer and see the variations, the slight imperfections. These are so touching. It reminds me of the work of Gee's Bend quilters, where utility meets artistry. Like painting, the textile arts are a way of thinking through materials, making something from nothing, one stitch or brushstroke at a time.