Man's Blanket c. 20th century

This striking "Man's Blanket" was made by an anonymous artist, and you can see it now at the Minneapolis Institute of Art. It's a vibrant tartan of red and green, with thin stripes of black, white, and gold running horizontally. The fringe gives it a lovely, tactile quality. When I look at it, I think about the making of this blanket. The way the colors were combined, with bright reds and greens intersecting, is beautiful. Those vertical columns of color meet the horizontal bands creating a kind of controlled chaos. And what about the anonymous artist? The process they used is a beautiful dance, a conversation between intention and chance. It's a reminder that art is not just about the finished product but about the journey, the exploration, and the human touch. It makes me think of the work of the quilters of Gee's Bend, who create striking, improvisational designs with limited materials. "Man's Blanket" invites us to appreciate artmaking as an ongoing dialogue, a space of endless possibilities.