Bracelet c. 1930s

This bracelet, made of silver and turquoise by a Navajo artist, sits right here in Minneapolis. The artist coaxed and coerced the metal into these twisted, ropey forms. It’s a real testament to hand-making. The turquoise cabochons, wow, they’re like little worlds. Look at that main stone. It’s not just blue, it’s got this matrix of darker veins running through it, like a map or a storm system. And the silver! It’s not shiny and new, it's got a patina, a history etched into its surface. You can almost feel the hand that shaped it, the hours of work, the intention. It reminds me of some of the work of Sophie Taeuber-Arp, that same attention to detail, and interest in materials. But, you know, art's like that – an ongoing conversation, always referencing and responding. This piece embraces that ambiguity; it's not about one fixed meaning but about the possibilities that open up when you really look.