Amendil c. 20th century

This Amendil cloth was made by Ait Ammeln Amazigh craftspeople. The geometric shapes and sparse but vibrant colors feel so immediate and earnest to me. I imagine the maker carefully planning the layout, each stitch a meditation. Those ochre zig-zags trimmed with bright yellow, green, and red somehow come off as both ancient and modern. It's like looking at a signal from a distant past. There’s a real conversation happening between the edge and the field here. I’m interested in this kind of work that occupies a space between functionality and ornamentation. It kind of reminds me of the work of artists like Anni Albers and Sheila Hicks. There's this ongoing exchange of ideas between the fine and applied arts. It's amazing to see how artists across time and cultures continue to inspire and cross-pollinate each other's creativity.