Wastebasket

Marian John, Wastebasket, ca. 1975, longleaf pine needles and raffia, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1975.140
Copied Marian John, Wastebasket, ca. 1975, longleaf pine needles and raffia, 11 7⁄8 x 9 3⁄8 in. (30.2 x 23.8 cm) diam., Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1975.140

Artwork Details

Title
Wastebasket
Artist
Date
ca. 1975
Location
Dimensions
11 7⁄8 x 9 3⁄8 in. (30.2 x 23.8 cm) diam.
Credit Line
Museum purchase
Mediums
Mediums Description
longleaf pine needles and raffia
Classifications
Object Number
1975.140
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1975.140

Artwork Description

Marian John, a member of the Coushatta tribe of Louisiana, fashioned this basket from longleaf pine needles (native to the state) and raffia. The Coushatta have woven baskets for centuries. The earliest baskets were used either as trade goods or as containers to transport food. To create her pieces, John dries the pine needles for three months to ensure all the moisture is out. She then wraps the needles with raffia and, using only a sewing needle, creates the stitch design. Wastebasket was featured in the Renwick Gallery exhibition Craft Multiples in 1975, which highlighted the work of production craftsmen who created utilitarian objects in multiples of ten or more.