Djuk-chari-chuk (chuk decoration) c. early 20th century

This Djuk-chari-chuk, or Chuk decoration, at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, probably made by Dasht-i-Kipchak, is all about process; it’s a textile but in a way it’s a painting too. I really mean that – look at how the maker builds up this vertical band with repeated motifs like a painter layering brushstrokes, though in this case it's stitches. The colours aren’t blended, they’re right there next to each other – saturated reds, greens and yellows building up this amazing, vibrating surface. It feels to me like the maker really enjoyed the physicality of their craft, you can almost feel the texture of the thread. And isn’t it wonderful that the shapes aren’t perfect? There’s something so human and playful about the slight wonkiness of the geometric forms. I’m reminded of the textiles of artists like Anni Albers, who was interested in weaving as a form of drawing, a way to translate ideas into a material language. This piece has that same openness. It's an invitation to see the world in new and unexpected ways.