Zes koorden van gevlochten licht bruine zijde, met aan de uiteinden een knoop en een kwast c. 1925

Curator: Editor: Here we have "Six Cords of Braided Light Brown Silk, with a Knot and a Tassel at the Ends" from around 1925. It is currently held in the Rijksmuseum collection. Looking at this work, I am intrigued by the intricate weaving, and I am wondering, how does this artwork speak to you? Curator: Well, immediately I see the legacy of craft and labor. Consider who would have been producing these kinds of intricate silk pieces in the 1920s. What roles were available to them, particularly when you consider the intersections of gender, class and artistic production at that moment? Do you see how that lens reframes the decorative aspect you identified? Editor: Yes, definitely. It wasn't simply "decorative." It makes me consider who had the privilege to engage in leisure pursuits like crafting these textile works, versus those who might be forced to use similar skills in garment factories or sweatshops. It adds layers to its story. Curator: Precisely. This is fiber art – so we are thinking about its original context and its potential for carrying meaning that is perhaps coded in its textures, forms and the material itself. Now think about what "silk" may have meant in this time and place. Editor: I see… Silk as a valuable and luxurious commodity, perhaps indicating wealth or status. I hadn't initially considered its inherent value and cultural symbolism. Curator: Exactly. These decorative pieces are never truly separate from their socio-economic context, and this connection shapes the narrative we are having with the artwork. What else might you see if you were looking for something overlooked? Editor: Looking through that lens, I realize how much richness there is in everyday materials that were carefully fashioned into something beautiful! Thanks for shedding light on that. Curator: And thank you for engaging in a vital reassessment of what constitutes 'art'.