Belt c. 20th century

This long, woven belt of dark indigo cotton with its spiraling center, might have been constructed stitch by stitch, each woven line building upon the last, in a slow, meditative, and repetitive act. I can imagine the anonymous maker sitting with focused intensity and perhaps also with quiet patience. The kind of patience that allows for subtle variations and imperfections to emerge—a wabi-sabi kind of perfection. Looking at this belt, I am reminded of the work of other fiber artists, such as Anni Albers, whose weavings also explore the interplay of texture, pattern, and material. There’s a conversation happening across time and place, a kind of weaving together of ideas and practices. Ultimately, this belt invites us to consider the intimate relationship between the maker, the material, and the act of creation. It’s a reminder that art is not just about the final product, but about the embodied experience and the flow of making itself.