Basket c. 20th century

This covered basket was made by the Tohono O’odham people, also known as the Papago. It's a beautiful example of how artmaking is really about a process, a way of seeing and thinking through materials. Look closely at the texture: how the strands of fiber coil tightly around themselves, spiraling from the center of the lid. The artist would have selected and prepared these strands, probably dyeing some of them to achieve the dark patterning. The physical act of weaving, pulling each strand through, around, and over, creates a surface that’s both tactile and visually complex. It’s a slow, repetitive process that, like all artmaking, requires patience and precision. The pattern of dark geometric shapes marching around the basket’s side contrasts with the concentric circles of the lid, giving the piece a dynamic, rhythmic quality. The basket feels like a conversation across time. Agnes Martin, who also explored the grid in her paintings, comes to mind; both artists share an interest in simple forms and quiet repetition. Art is always a dialogue, with each artist building on the ideas and techniques of those who came before.