Ancient Writing

Anni Albers immigrated to the U.S. to teach at the experimental Black Mountain College in 1933. She took a holistic approach to teaching, encouraging her students to consider weaving from first principles. She asked them to imagine finding themselves alone in nature, with nothing but the materials at hand to keep warm, build shelter, and collect food. Their first crude attempts to create blankets and basketry led to a deeper appreciation of the refined systems of modern weaving.

Connections: Contemporary Craft at the Renwick Gallery, 2019

Credit: Gift of John Young