Bolero van katoen c. 1910

This vest, or bolero, by P. Titjen-Baas, is made from cotton. Can you imagine the artist carefully pinning and sewing the crisp white fabric? I wonder what it was like to create this little garment; what were they thinking as they stitched each seam? It reminds me of Agnes Martin’s grids—the quiet, repetitive process, building form through small gestures, like a kind of meditation. The texture of the cotton, how it feels against the skin, all that becomes part of our experience of the piece. Notice how the fabric overlaps, creating a sort of wrapping effect. The way the collar comes together reminds me of a painting by Robert Ryman. And you know, artists are always in conversation, echoing and riffing off each other’s ideas across time. This is an artwork that embraces simplicity, inviting us to consider its many meanings.