Quilt c. 1938

Clyde L. Cheney created this quilt, a square of fabric turned into a meditation. The artist has worked with reds, oranges, and creams, the colours of a sunset bleeding into the horizon. I can feel the artist piecing each section together, probably sitting in a simple chair with the light streaming in through a window, carefully aligning each geometric component. I can see them pressing it with an iron, and then stepping back and looking at it. What is the right order, the right configuration? The quilt is a star, a flower, and a series of crosses. It's both stable and restless, flat yet architectural. The artist shares an interest with artists like Gee’s Bend quilters, who converted everyday materials into stunning works of art, but also Agnes Martin and other artists who seek purity in geometry. Artists are always in conversation with each other, sharing insights and techniques across generations. It is a reminder that art exists in an ongoing dialogue, and in art, things are never fully resolved, allowing for constant interpretation.