Upholstery Fabric Sample c. 20th century

Editor: This is Otti Berger's "Upholstery Fabric Sample" from the Harvard Art Museums. It has a really interesting texture and a tight, almost grid-like pattern. What do you see in this piece that speaks to its historical context? Curator: It's fascinating how such a small fragment encapsulates so much! Textiles weren't just decorative; they were deeply embedded in social structures and industrial production. Berger was associated with the Bauhaus, an institution known for dissolving the boundaries between fine art and craft. Editor: So, the Bauhaus ideology impacted textile production? Curator: Absolutely. Pieces like this challenged the traditional hierarchy that placed painting and sculpture above textiles, and they question what makes something ‘art’. How does this impact our view of it in a museum setting? Editor: That's a great point. Seeing it here really elevates its status. I hadn't considered textiles as statements about art and social values. Curator: Exactly, and Otti Berger's story is a reminder of the complex relationships between art, industry, and social change.