Coverlet c. 1940

Curator: Immediately striking! It gives off such a sense of domestic serenity, that quiet order of a well-cared-for home. Editor: That's a lovely observation. This piece is entitled "Coverlet", attributed to Elizabeth Valentine, around 1940. What you are seeing is a study done with drawing and fibre-art on textile Curator: The word "coverlet" is quite telling in this regard! I wonder about the function beyond the immediate need of warmth. Textiles, historically, communicate so much about social status, family, and craft traditions. Editor: Absolutely. Consider also the labor involved. Valentine didn’t just create a design; she potentially considered the complete lifecycle of the textile from production to display. Curator: And it has such an air of precision to it, doesn't it? That rigid geometric design, those delicate crisscross patterns... it contrasts almost harshly with the material reality of making something that would be so easily dirtied, so frequently in need of repair. Editor: Right, and who does that work? Is it seen as a chore or is it perceived as creative work? Those perceptions directly inform what sort of recognition or capital the textile creator attains in her society. This example uses textile as a way of exploring and expressing geometric ideas, pushing past what might have been typically defined as the medium's limits at the time. Curator: It truly pushes at boundaries. Think about the power dynamics involved with this geometric approach that echoes and almost parodies high art and formal traditions of fine art and design that excludes women and other minoritized artisans. Editor: Agreed. What was expected from textiles was clearly in transition around the time of its making. These handmade or carefully designed patterns would eventually become consumed by factories. Curator: It’s a poignant reminder of how our daily surroundings, things as simple as blankets, embody larger social currents. Editor: A thought-provoking convergence of comfort, work, history, and cultural politics rendered in woven form. Thank you, this has helped deepen my own reading.