Sunny 1965

What mediums do you associate with the word ‘art’? The textile artist Anni Albers (1899-1994) was a key figure in abstract modernism, yet her contributions are often undervalued due to the gendered politics of weaving. Joy sings in this vibrant weaving, ‘Sunny’ (1965). It is rectangular in shape, evoking the horizontality of conventional landscape paintings. Albers has used threads of jolly yellow and bold orange, interspersed with dashes of grassy green and ocean blue. These colours are immediately reminiscent of an abstract landscape, specifically a skyline dominated by rays of sun. The warm colour palette builds an optimistic tone. 🌞 ‘Sunny’ displays a naturalistic, repetitive pattern. Its precisely spaced, geometric layers create a sense of rhythm and harmony. Albers was responsible for the design, pre-loom practices, thread-making, and industrial aspects of this weaving. 🖌️ Traditionally, weaving and textile arts have been considered ‘women’s work’ and awarded less prestige than so-called ‘fine art’ mediums such as canvas painting and marble sculpture. However, the machinery involved in industrial weaving was often operated by men. Albers rejected these gendered realms through her involvement in all aspects of production. ⚙️ Born in Berlin at the end of the nineteenth century, Albers had originally planned to study painting. She was rejected by several fine art schools – which were heavily male dominated – and turned to weaving as a method of exploring. Weaving, then, became a method of inserting herself into the patriarchal twentieth-century art world. Her weaving workshop combined ancient and modern approaches to textiles; inspired by Pre-Columbian civilisations, Albers experimented with backstrap looms (simple looms consisting of two sticks) alongside mechanical looms. Her work, then, is connected to the social lineage of authentic textiles. 🧵 The dialogue between the artwork and the natural world is a key feature of Albers’ weavings. She encouraged her students to make use of ‘the stuff the world is made of’ – from grass and paper to corn kernels and metal ore. This spirit of experimentation and connection characterises the innovations of the Bauhaus School. 🏫 Should similar pieces be displayed alongside oil paintings in museums and galleries? What do you think? 💭👇 Editor: Lucy Jude Grantham