Wall Hanging c. 20th century

Curator: This cotton textile, “Wall Hanging,” by the Minneapolis Handicraft Project WPA from around the 20th century, immediately strikes me as a powerful example of pattern and repetition. What catches your eye? Editor: The repetition is definitely mesmerizing! It feels almost overwhelming with the geometric and organic shapes mixing together. I’m curious, what story might this textile tell us about its time and place? Curator: Precisely! Consider the context. The WPA, or Works Progress Administration, aimed to alleviate unemployment during the Great Depression. The Handicraft Project specifically empowered women, many of whom were from marginalized communities, providing them with employment and a creative outlet. Knowing this, how might we interpret these patterns? Editor: I guess I hadn’t really considered that! It seems like it moves it away from a purely aesthetic evaluation to one with political undertones, a form of expression? Curator: Exactly! These artisans were contributing to the national economy but also reclaiming their narratives, expressing resilience through art. The repeated motifs might symbolize community, shared labor, and the enduring strength of these women. Do you see any specific motifs that stand out in relation to these ideas? Editor: Maybe the floral square; the home or a garden could be an image for survival, or just the domestic made powerful? Curator: Nicely observed! It’s also important to think about how a repeated, traditionally feminine art like textile making gains renewed appreciation in a social context that otherwise undervalues it. The pattern-and-decoration movement that emerged later embraced this concept fully! I find it incredible how art intersects with social and historical currents. Has your perspective shifted regarding the textile? Editor: Definitely. It is so much more than just a pretty pattern. Curator: Indeed! This artwork reveals the power of textiles as carriers of history, labor, and resilience. Editor: This has really opened my eyes to the intersection of art, craft, and social history.