Man's Pants c. 20th century

These "Man's Pants" were made in Nigeria by an artist from the Nupe culture with some cloth and a whole lot of patience. I love how this piece embraces a process of accretion, you can see the way that the different coloured shapes have been slowly stitched onto the surface, building up this striking design. The texture of the piece is just gorgeous, it has this kind of soft, worn feel, like a well-loved quilt. I’m drawn to the semi-circular section along the bottom, where the artist has stitched this geometric pattern into a grid. It reminds me of a net, or a screen, like looking through a window at something shifting and shimmering just beyond our view. This piece reminds me of the work of Gee's Bend quilters, but it also exists in conversation with earlier traditions of textile design. Ultimately, these pants feel like an invitation to slow down, to appreciate the work of art and artmaking as something woven into the fabric of everyday life.