Bedja Panel c. 1960

This Bedja Panel, by Abdul Karim, is a textile piece made in an unknown year, but it feels like it was constructed very intuitively. The color palette in this piece is gorgeous, especially the ways in which the blues and pinks combine. The way that the piece repeats certain shapes, over and over, gives it a physical rhythm. The texture looks so soft that I can almost feel it just by looking. The artist must have had a strong understanding of the materials to achieve such clarity in the weaving. If you look closely, you can see the threads and the way they create this wonderful pattern, sort of like the way I make marks with a brush. The whole piece reminds me of Hilma af Klint, but instead of paint we have all of these textile forms creating a space for contemplation. Isn't it amazing how a single piece of art can open up so many different worlds and ways of seeing?