Shawl- (Llklla) 1960 - 1970

This shawl, or Llklla, was made anonymously, and without a known date. There is something quite beautiful in the anonymity of the piece, and in this idea of the unknown hands that made this shawl, and the unknown life it had. The process of weaving, the way the threads are interlocked, is something that involves the whole body. It’s this engagement with the material that gives the shawl a kind of life of its own. The material aspects, the texture of the woven threads, the contrast between the dark fabric and the vibrant red borders and central band are all deeply emotional. It’s the imperfection of the embroidery, the asymmetry of the patterns, that makes it so compelling. I keep imagining the hands that made this shawl. The rhythm of weaving is a kind of meditation, a way of connecting to the world. It’s like the conversation between Agnes Martin and Eva Hesse. There is something else that is going on here in terms of the way that this shawl seems so unconcerned about perfection or completion. It’s open and unresolved. And that, ultimately, is what makes it so beautiful.