Kira c. 20th century

This is Kira by Mensi Mattha, a textile probably made with a loom. I love to imagine the artist’s hands moving rhythmically, pulling and pushing the threads, maybe getting lost in the making. The repetition of the dark and light horizontal bands are warm and inviting. I wonder about the feel of the cloth. Is it soft or rough, tightly or loosely woven? Are the edges deliberately frayed? The material itself has a kind of voice and feeling, almost like a drawing, an index of process, time, and care. The subtle shifts in pattern and tone suggest a playful mind at work, a kind of quiet exploration that resonates with many textile artists who came after. It’s cool to think about how artists, throughout time, are kind of in conversation, inspiring each other to create. Ultimately, Kira invites us to slow down, pay attention, and find beauty in simplicity.