Suzani c. 1930

This Suzani textile was made by an anonymous artist, and immediately you get a sense of how artmaking is a process, where the making is part of the meaning. The colours! Aren’t they incredible? The deep background makes the orange and purple really pop. I keep wanting to touch this piece; I can almost feel the texture of the embroidery under my fingertips. There's an energy in the repeated flower motifs that feels really compelling. Look how each flower is slightly different, a testament to the hand of the maker and the imperfections that make it so human. See those creeping vines? They twist around the flowers, creating a visual rhythm that's both chaotic and harmonious. This piece reminds me of Matisse’s cut-outs. Like him, the maker of this piece really understands how the physicality of the medium shapes our experience and makes us feel something profound. It really opens up space for the imagination.