Border c. 17th century

This embroidered piece, titled "Border," is rendered in red thread on white cloth, its creator remaining anonymous. It speaks to the complex roles of women in textile production, both historically and globally. Embroidery, often relegated to the domestic sphere, is a space where women have asserted creativity, encoded histories, and produced functional or decorative objects. This anonymous work challenges the art world's traditional hierarchies. The geometric pattern, precisely rendered, suggests a cultural language, perhaps an ancestral or familial narrative, woven into the fabric. Each stitch could be seen as a deliberate act of expression. The title, “Border,” suggests the edges of identity, of belonging, and of artistic convention. Here, the border becomes the focus. It reminds us that borders are not merely lines of demarcation. They are sites of intersection, exchange, and, at times, conflict. How does this piece prompt you to consider the unseen hands that shaped it? And what stories do you imagine are woven into its threads?