Tampan c. 20th century

This Tampan textile at the Minneapolis Institute of Art, presents itself in faded reds, creams, and blacks and was probably made with dyes and weaving techniques. I imagine the artist, bent over a loom, meticulously plotting the pattern. I wonder what was going through their mind as they worked? Were they telling a story through symbols? It's kind of like how I approach painting, each brushstroke, each color choice, a form of communication. Here, the weaver's gestures are translated into geometric shapes, creating a dense field of pattern. I keep thinking of Agnes Martin's grids, but with a twist. While Martin sought serenity through repetition, this textile seems to embrace complexity. And, in the end, this all relates to the never-ending dialogue artists have across time and cultures. It’s a push-pull of ideas which celebrates uncertainty, allowing for a multitude of meanings.