Man's Pants c. 20th century

These *Man’s Pants* were created by the Nupe people, and are now held at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Look at the stitches, they are so considered. I bet the artist started out with some basic geometry and some ground rules, but I also bet that each stitch led to the next in an unplanned way. I can imagine them thinking, ‘I’ll put this colour here, and then that colour there,’ balancing each move. The little squares dance together in a syncopated rhythm – like a kind of visual jazz. For me, this work is about more than just utility. These pants speak of the pleasure that comes from making, and the simple, human need to ornament and embellish. This really chimes with me, and reminds me that artists are in an ongoing conversation, inspiring each other's creativity across time. Making art is an embodied expression, it embraces ambiguity, and allows for multiple interpretations – there's no one way to see these pants!