Odtini 1900 - 1925

This *Odtini* was made anonymously, using fiber, and you can see it at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. Look at the way the patterns build up; it's a whole process of accumulation, with lines and shapes adding up to something bigger. You can tell it was made one stitch at a time, and each stitch had to be in exactly the right place. The red ground is so saturated. I'm especially drawn to the area around the central star, where the maker has carefully embroidered each yellow and orange shape. The stitching is tiny and dense, with each shape offset with a small silver mirror, which gives the whole piece a lovely texture. It's a good example of how materiality shapes emotion. All of these details affect how we experience the *Odtini*. I’m reminded of the work of Gee’s Bend quilters, particularly in how they take simple materials and use them to make something beautiful and meaningful. In art there are no fixed meanings, just an ongoing conversation across time.