Anacostia Community Museum
Iris Cross-Stitch
Ira Blount · c. 1994
Purple irises tinged with yellow grow out of a brown bowl in this cross-stitch with a geometric green border. Artist Ira Blount (1918-2020) incorporates the Chinese character, “mei,” which translates to “beauty” to the left of the flowers. This work invokes the conventions of still-life paintings by including a memento mori, a single flower that has fallen off the plant. Viewers are encouraged to consider both the irises’ natural beauty and their transience.
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