Chief's Blanket 1989

Editor: Arman's "Chief's Blanket," created in 1989 using mixed media and collage, has such a striking textural quality. It resembles woven fabric, or perhaps a flattened mosaic of some kind. With all the repeating geometrical components arranged as bands of color, how do you interpret this piece, especially in the context of its title? Curator: That's a keen observation, noting the textile-like quality of a collage titled "Chief's Blanket." Consider how artists in the late 20th century engaged with indigenous cultures, often appropriating and reinterpreting their artistic traditions. This piece seems to both invoke and deconstruct the very idea of a "Chief's Blanket," prompting questions about authenticity, ownership, and the market forces that drive art. Does the layering of materials and geometric pattern bring any specific historical textiles to mind for you? Editor: Thinking about patterns, I’m reminded of Navajo blankets. The rows of stacked elements and colour palette – the dark browns, reds – they feel reminiscent of textiles, while not replicating the patterns literally. So, is this piece less about representation, and more about the gesture of acknowledging and recontextualizing the cultural symbol of the blanket? Curator: Exactly. Think about museums and the politics of display. By presenting "Chief's Blanket" in a gallery, Arman is arguably transforming a utilitarian object, or more precisely, a cultural symbol represented by an object, into high art. Do you see any tension in that transformation? Editor: Absolutely. By placing it in a museum, doesn't the act of framing and displaying potentially sanitize the historical narrative or erase some of its original purpose? Curator: That's the critical tension at play here – between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation, the personal and the political, and the gallery versus cultural significance. Reflecting on this collage really highlights the power of art to spark critical conversations about culture. Editor: I’m leaving with an enhanced perspective on the complicated dialogue artists can create with history!