Pueblo, Navajo, Hispanic weaving traditions flourish in ‘Treasured Textiles’ at Fowler

The skillful technique seen in textiles here is a testament to the spirit of the Pueblo and Navajo people, particularly those whose artistry dates to the turmoil between 1860 and 1880, when change rained down on native lands in the form of railroads, American military and settlers from Eastern states.

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Thirty-eight stellar examples of functional art can be seen in the exhibition “Treasured Textiles From the American Southwest: The Durango Collection,” on view at the Fowler Museum at UCLA through Jan. 10.

The show includes a number of notable Navajo chief blankets, named for their fine quality, which made them affordable only to people of high stature.

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Also included are works by Hispanic settlers, whose textiles are among the three great weaving traditions that emerged in the Southwest over the course of a millennium. Each group influenced the others while developing its own distinct style and characteristics.

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