Wall Hanging 1926

Editor: Here we have Anni Albers' "Wall Hanging," undated, at the Harvard Art Museums. It’s a large textile piece, and the blocks of color and stripes remind me of architectural facades. What do you see in this piece? Curator: The interplay of solid blocks and linear arrangements evokes a sense of coded language, perhaps a textile-based alphabet. It invites us to consider how symbols, even abstract ones, embed cultural memory. Do you see any potential narrative within the patterns? Editor: I do. The repetition creates a rhythm, almost like storytelling through abstract shapes. Curator: Precisely. Albers’ weaving transforms functional craft into a potent carrier of cultural and psychological meaning. Editor: That's an interesting perspective. I never considered weaving as storytelling before. Curator: Albers saw weaving as a universal language, a way to connect with ancient traditions and express modern ideas simultaneously. Editor: I'll remember that. Thanks for your insights.