Halsdoek van effen zwarte zijde c. 1930 - 1940

I wonder about the anonymous maker W. Rowe, who crafted this sailor’s neckerchief from plain black silk. Did they imagine the cloth flowing as they cut it? Or perhaps, their mind was elsewhere as they worked? You can almost feel the maker’s hand as you observe the gentle drape of the fabric. The black silk absorbs the light, creating subtle gradations of tone and depth. The way the fabric is knotted evokes a sense of quiet grace and poise. There is a relationship between the simple shape of the fabric and the body it adorns. This object brings to mind the work of other textile artists, like Anni Albers, who explored the interplay of material and form, weaving together colors and textures to create works of art. I’m thinking of all the conversations and exchanges across time, inspiring one another’s creativity, each adding their own unique perspective. The making of art is a form of embodied expression, embracing ambiguity and uncertainty.