Yanomami Gathering Basket With Head Strap

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Handwoven by the Yanomami in the 20th century, its broad, beautifully irregular form is made entirely from natural fiber, with … Read more Handwoven by the Yanomami in the 20th century, its broad, beautifully irregular form is made entirely from natural fiber, with the original woven head strap still attached. But it’s the decoration that gets you: rows of black polka dots made from ash climb the sides against the warm, tawny weave. From across a room, the effect is almost startlingly graphic. Up close, everything softens, the variations in the weave, the uneven circles, the evidence of the hand. It has presence without being precious. The kind of object that can hold its own among important furniture and serious art while making both feel a little less serious.

And that’s really the magic of Yanomami basketry. This wasn’t conceived as a decorative object. It was made to gather, carry and work. Yet generations of inherited knowledge, an anonymous hand and a remarkably good eye turned necessity into something undeniably beautiful. See less