Textile 1935 - 1942

This ‘Textile’ drawing, by an anonymous artist, presents us with a red and blue woven pattern set against a faint grid. The grid here is interesting, it seems to want to control the hand-made woven section, but it doesn’t quite manage to do so, and I love that. If you look closely at the blocks of color, you can see the density of marks and the way they vary from block to block. You get a sense of the artist making a decision, and then changing their mind, or just letting go a little. There's something about the materiality of the drawing that stands out to me: the simple juxtaposition of red and blue with the visible woven marks creates a feeling of both order and playfulness. These marks feel quite present, and the texture of the surface almost invites you to touch it. The slight irregularities in the pattern give the work a human touch. This makes me think of Anni Albers’s weaving, where she too embraced the grid but allowed for imperfections and individual expression to shine through. In the end, it's about art as an ongoing conversation, where artists explore the boundaries between control and freedom.