Woven Histories: Textiles and Modern Abstraction

The rise of abstract art is often thought of as a story of painting and sculpture. But art forms such as weaving, basketry, netting and crochet are brought to the fore in this long-touring exhibition, which began its run at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 2023 before moving to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. and subsequently the National Gallery of Canada in Ottawa. It is now concluding its run at MoMA (20 April–13 September). Pieces by Ed Rossbach, Yayoi Kusama and Anni Albers are among some 150 works that relay the interwoven stories of fashion, design and craft in the 20th and 21st centuries. Highlights include an intricate copper and brass wire hanging sculpture by Ruth Asawa from the mid 1970s and woven garments by the American artist Andrea Zittel, such as the striking White Felted Dress #3 (2002) from her A-Z Fiber Form Uniforms (1991–2002).

Find out more from MoMA’s website.
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Collage II (On Filet Ground) (c. 1925), Hannah Höch. Museum of Modern Art, New York. © 2024 Hannah Höch/Artists Rights Society, New York/VG Bild-Kunst, Germany

Constructed Color Wall Hanging (1965), Ed Rossbach. Museum of Modern Art, New York

Design for Wall Hanging (1926), Anni Albers. Museum of Modern Art, New York. © 2024 The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation/Artists Rights Society, New York