Tube skirt Date Unknown

Editor: Here we have what's called a 'Tube skirt', made of fibre-art textile including silk, cotton, and weaving; the date of origin is unknown. The geometric and ethnic patterns make me feel grounded, somehow connected to traditions, while also slightly bewildered by the complexity. What jumps out at you? Curator: Bewilderment is a fair start! To me, it whispers of ancient codes, each repeated motif a stanza in a song we’ve almost forgotten how to sing. Notice the considered asymmetry. That single blue thread meandering through a field of red... Is it a mistake? Or deliberate defiance? I'd like to believe in defiance. Editor: Defiance! I love that idea. I was focusing on the overall order and rhythm, the repetition. It hadn't occurred to me to think of it as…a bit rebellious. Curator: Perhaps 'rebellious' is too strong. But imagine the weaver, following traditions, but deciding: "No. Today, *this* stripe will be blue.” A subtle act, but a statement nonetheless. Think of the weight these textile works held! What did wearing something like this signal? What are your initial impressions of these bands of color? Editor: I was drawn to the use of color blocks, how the shades intensify toward the bottom and top. And that creamy section at the top provides relief. But what can we assume about Chinese textiles when looking at such little information? Curator: Well, textiles in China often served as markers of identity, social status, and even spiritual protection. And so, it’s fascinating to consider: is this ‘skirt’ really a skirt? Or perhaps a fragment of something grander? Context, as always, shifts the whole landscape of interpretation, doesn't it? Editor: Absolutely. The history woven within a fabric can be far more extensive and complex than the immediate appeal to our eyes! Curator: Exactly! Isn't it humbling, to hold a piece of the past in our hands, knowing we’ll never know all its secrets?