Hat c. 1910 - 1940

Natinixwe, a Hupa artist, created this Hat using plant fiber, probably sometime in the 19th or 20th century. I think a lot about the labor of art, the process of making it, and the way the hand moves, and this object makes me consider these things. Just think about how long it would take to make a hat like this! The artist probably wasn't thinking about "art" when they made this, but I can imagine them thinking about the person who would wear it. The linear bands and geometric motifs seem to emerge from the surface of the hat, almost like the hat is growing its own design. The artist’s pattern-making generates a sense of movement. The brown and yellow plant fiber weaves in and out of itself, creating texture, depth, and a beautiful harmony between color and material. It feels like a piece of nature carefully shaped by human hands. I often think about how artists learn from artists, across time and place. The techniques and forms used by Natinixwe have also been used by countless other weavers. There is a conversation that they are having with each other that stretches back centuries.