Shawl (Llklla) 1965 - 1975

This shawl, or Lliklla, at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, features a red ground with vertical bands of geometric designs. Imagine the weaver, patiently interlacing threads, building up these intricate patterns line by line. I am always so fascinated by the touch of the maker in these textiles. Think about the artist's hands, guiding the shuttle, choosing each color, feeling the tension of the threads. The motifs, reminiscent of ancient symbols, run through the center like a spine, offering a narrative we can only glimpse. To me, the act of weaving has a deep, philosophical connection with painting, through the intimate process of making. These motifs are alive and breathing. We see not just a pattern but a conversation with the past, a meditation on form and meaning. The weaver might have been thinking about their community, their ancestors, or the very act of creation itself. It reminds us that artists are always in dialogue, riffing off each other’s ideas, each stitch, each brushstroke, a response to what came before. In the end, painting is the same – an ongoing exchange of ideas across time.