Japon samengesteld uit blokken zwarte en witte voile c. 1914 - 1918

This monochrome garment was made by Hirsch & Cie from blocks of black and white voile, and you can see the hand of the maker in the piecing together of these disparate elements. I love how you can see all the little bits and pieces that add up to the whole. Here, the material is the message. The way the panels of voile are arranged, the simple contrast of black and white, it’s all about the process. This isn’t a dress that’s trying to hide anything. It's more like a conversation between the maker and the material. Look closely at how the tiers of voile are gathered slightly. They are almost trembling. This piece really resonates with the work of someone like Anni Albers, who also explored the potential of textiles to create new forms and patterns. It reminds us that art is an ongoing dialogue, and the meaning is never fixed.