Skirt for a Married Woman c. 20th century

Djege Coulibaly made this skirt for a married woman out of cotton. It is amazing how it is almost monochromatic, this dance between off-white and beige. I imagine the artist patiently building up the forms, dipping the brush and stamping it on the fabric, one mark at a time. Like Agnes Martin, but less rigid and more human. The grid of the painting reminds me of a tiled floor, maybe in a rustic old house, where each tile has its own character and tells its own story. You feel the irregularities of the drawing, the way the artist has made subtle mistakes, revealing the vulnerability of the creative process. It feels so connected to its material reality. The touch of the hand, the texture of the pigment on the surface, these are all echoes of the artist's intentions, and the purpose the skirt will serve to the wearer. You can see how Coulibaly has pushed the boundaries of their medium, showing us new ways of seeing, thinking, and feeling.