Veil c. 20th century

This Veil, is a mysterious textile made by an anonymous artist, probably using dye and a block-printing technique. These botanical forms repeat down the cloth with a kind of calm insistence. Each form is made up of smaller gestures, blooming red flowers, balanced by the spiky grey green sprigs. They remind me of the work of Ree Morton, who used to build these incredible, temporary sculptural installations in the 70s. Up close, the fabric has this incredible texture, a history of touch and use. It’s so cool to see how the dye has aged and faded over time, creating a depth that wasn't there originally. This piece is a reminder that art is often a conversation with the past, with other artists, and with the materials themselves. Like memory, art is not fixed or definitive.