Skirt c. late 20th century

This *Skirt* was made by Tai Lao. The vertical rows of stitched patterning immediately remind me of the way Agnes Martin would mark out her grids on canvas, each line imbued with subtle imperfections. Up close, the texture becomes really apparent; there’s a beautiful tension between the shimmering surface of the silk and the slightly uneven stitching. That color, a kind of muted olive, is so earthy and rich. I keep thinking about how the repeated motif, like the rhythm of a heartbeat, anchors the whole composition, but there’s still room for variation within the pattern. You see the cross motif running along the bottom? I think about the cultural exchange embedded in these pieces. There is no beginning and no end point, which is why art is just an ongoing conversation between makers.