Ngoshingka (tunic) c. 20th century

This tunic, or Ngoshingka, was made by an anonymous artist, and now lives at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. The deep blue ground, it looks like indigo, is like a moody sea. Then at the top are these fantastic decorative elements, a riot of jewel-like colours. Triangles of red, green and blue jostle for attention. They are geometric, but somehow, they are also playful and loose. Imagine the maker, patiently stitching, embellishing, dreaming? I bet they weren’t thinking about perfection, or some kind of fixed outcome. Instead, they were improvising, letting the colours sing. I can see them working in the sun, the gold tassels shimmering. It reminds me of Sheila Hicks’ fiber works and the amazing textiles of the Gee’s Bend quilters. Making art is a continuous exchange, isn't it? Each generation speaks to the last, across time and geography. This tunic is a reminder that art can be a form of embodied expression and connection.