Salt Bag c. 20th century

This Salt Bag at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, by an anonymous maker, is a really special object. I mean, look at those tassels. I am imagining the maker, surrounded by dyed fibers in blacks, reds, and creams, carefully selecting, arranging, and knotting each one, lost in the sensory experience. You can feel the artist's pulse and their touch in the repeating lozenge patterns that cover the bag, in the tiny shells and blue beads that punctuate the dangling tassels. What were they thinking as their hands moved, creating patterns and rhythms? It's like they were playing with abstraction long before modern art. These colors vibrate and dance. It reminds me of the work of other makers who revel in the sensuality of materials and the possibilities of pattern. Through these repeating forms, the artist creates a space for seeing and feeling the world in new ways. It’s a conversation that echoes through time.