Panel, #5

Ethel Stein’s interest in textile structures began with her work with Cooper-Hewitt’s collection—specifically with the velvets and damask collection, under the tutelage of former Textiles department curator, Milton Sonday. This ikat piece reflects Stein’s interest in process and technique. Stein was a sculptor before she became interested in textiles. Stein and her husband, an architect, were very sympathetic to the modernist movement. They were friends with Josef and Anni Albers and promoted a Bauhaus living style. Stein’s work was included in a number of important art and textile exhibitions between 1995 and 2005 and is held in major collections, including the Art Institute of Chicago, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cooper-Hewitt has an example of her earlier work, from the 1970s. This piece is proposed for acquisition together with a Stein damask piece, both from the 1980s. Together, these works would expand the museum’s representation of Stein's textiles and would illustrate the evolution of her practice.