Six Prayers 1965

Anni Albers made this textile piece called Six Prayers with threads, and I can only imagine the time it took to weave these prayers. The colors are so subtle, almost like whispers – greys, creams, blacks – not shouting for attention, but demanding a closer look. The texture is everything; you can almost feel the individual threads, the way they cross and interlock. If you look at the central column, you’ll see how the tiny movements within the weave create a complex pattern, a maze of sorts, like following a train of thought. I love how Albers embraces the grid but refuses to be confined by it. It reminds me of Agnes Martin’s paintings, but with thread! The beauty of this piece, like all great art, is that it leaves room for us. There are six prayers here, but how are they said? What do they ask? What do they mean?