Woman's Apron c. 1920s

This Woman's Apron was made by an anonymous artist and is now housed at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It's a riot of colour, isn't it? These yellows and purples sing off one another and that green just vibrates. The whole thing is wonderfully raw and direct. I think of artmaking as a process, of working intuitively, and not being afraid to let the materials speak, and I feel that so clearly here. The apron is not overly fussy, there’s a real sense of the material properties of the fabric. Look at the way the floral detail on the waist ties pulls everything together. It's that type of detail that really makes a piece special. It's like the artist is having a conversation with the material, allowing it to have its own say. I think about Anni Albers when I see a piece like this, these are conversations across time. There's no right or wrong way to interpret it, which is what makes it so engaging.