Scarf c. mid 20th century

This long dark scarf was woven by Dong with what looks to be cotton and other plant based fibres. The making is direct, as if there was no intermediary between the thought and the making. See the detail on the borders. The dark indigo is punctuated by a repeated motif of a lozenge split into four, with what appears to be a small plant or flower in each division. Next to this we see columns of a repeating design of small brown squares, again with a cross shaped design within. The warp and weft are visible, and the texture is soft, I can almost feel it between my fingers. The edges are finished with a loose fringe. The whole thing has a kind of handmade quality to it, a quality that reminds me of the work of Anni Albers or Sheila Hicks. It’s this sort of intimacy that makes it special, you know? It invites you in. Art is always a conversation, after all.