The tapestry has always hung in the house of her parents and still holds a lot of sentimental value. However, for a lack of space it was in need of a new owner and perhaps a bigger audience. Because the textile was always lived with and loved by, and therefor exposed to light and air, it is in a slightly different state then the tapestries in the museum’s collection as those were conserved and stored away meticulously. But this doesn’t mean it is of any less value. What makes textile so special is the fact that it is so ubiquitous in every-day life, that we live with it and that it is part of the many rites of passage a person goes through; from birth to passing away.
Because of the condition the tapestry is in, we don’t have to treat it so carefully and it actually serves a different kind of purpose than a museum object. In the exhibition you can not only see this tapestry, but also touch, feel and even smell its intrinsic materiality. You can study how it’s made and see from up close the time and effort the maker has put into its creation.
The rug in the house of the donor, photo made by Amanda Pinatih on 7 July 2020.
Rene Burri / Magnum. 