Kaparamip robe with red cotton fabric border c. 20th century

This Kaparamip robe with red cotton fabric border was carefully pieced together by an anonymous artist. It has been sewn and stitched in such a way that is so pleasing to the eye. I can imagine the artist, sitting with their tools, carefully tracing out the repeated, looping pattern. It’s a complex, swirling thing – a formal abstraction, but one that feels alive and organic. Like vines or smoke or maybe even thoughts. The artist seems to be in conversation with earlier traditions, while at the same time inventing something totally new. As a painter, I know that every gesture you make is a kind of decision. I think that the artist has really thought hard about the materials they are working with to bring their vision to life. It’s clear this Kaparamip robe is part of a longer, ongoing investigation, building on what came before, pushing towards what might be.