Wall hanging 1921

Curator: This wall hanging by Margarete Köhler at the Harvard Art Museums presents a striking arrangement of woven squares and rectangles, with fringe along the top and bottom. Editor: It strikes me as both severe and comforting. The grid is so rigid, yet the soft textures and muted tones create a sense of warmth. Curator: Textiles often carry significant symbolic weight, especially those made for the home. The grid might represent order and structure, something sought after during times of social upheaval, perhaps? Editor: That's a great point. The social context is key. Wall hangings like this gained prominence as accessible art forms, challenging traditional hierarchies of artistic expression. Who decides what art should be? Curator: And the act of weaving itself, so elemental, echoes ancient methods of transmitting cultural memory—stories, beliefs, woven into the very fabric. Editor: It makes you consider the politics of display, doesn't it? A functional object elevated to the status of art. Curator: The piece definitely invites us to examine the relationship between utility, aesthetics, and cultural values. Editor: Absolutely, it's a deceptively simple piece that holds a world of meaning.