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The Arts Intel Report

Woven Histories: Textiles and Modern Abstraction

Ed Rossbach, Damask Waterfall, 1977.

Mar 17 – July 28, 2024
Constitution Ave NW, Washington, DC 20565, USA

Art books about abstraction are usually dominated by painting. And in much of the 20th century, textile and fabric art has been dismissed as decorative. Sheila Hicks, a 1960s weaving pioneer, didn’t get her first museum retrospective until 2022. Similarly, Magdalena Abakanowicz didn’t receive real recognition until last year. This exhibition, which includes 160 works in a range of techniques—knitting, knotting, netting, and basketry—explores the complex and often interwoven relationship between abstract art, fashion, design, and craft. Works by Anni and Josef Albers, Sonia Delaunay, and many others are included. —Elena Clavarino

Photo: © Charles Benton/courtesy of the Artists’ Institute