Dark Kiva, 1994
Mary Giles
Waxed linen, hammered iron
Gift of Elissa and Paul Cahn 2009.59
Not on View
Mary Giles preferred combining the traditional basket medium of waxed linen threads with hand-hammered metal components not typically used in basketry. Close inspection of this object’s interior reveals male figures fashioned from iron wire. They are meant to evoke Puebloan ritual gatherings which took place in subterranean circular structures known as kivas. The cultures and landscapes of the American Southwest were long-term sources of inspiration to Giles.
Image: In Copyright–Educational Use. Gift of Elissa and Paul Cahn