Blanket c. early 20th century

This blanket was made by Mae Hong San Lawa, or Wa. And those stripes, right? So simple, red and white, but so much more. I can really imagine the rhythm of its making, that repetition of thread and colour. It’s an insight into artmaking as a process, where the hand and the eye work together. Think about how that red breathes, that’s not just a flat colour, that's the fibre and the dye doing their thing. The texture invites you in, you can almost feel it. The white stripes aren’t perfect, which is so much of the beauty of this piece, they waver and have their own character. I love how those slight imperfections humanize the work and really bring the artists touch to the fore. The fringes at the bottom feel like the natural conclusion to the process. It makes me think of Agnes Martin, actually, with her subtle lines. Both artists explore simplicity, repetition, and the power of handmade marks. But the blanket is just a little more...human, a little less precious. And isn’t that the point of art? To keep talking to each other, across time, across cultures?