Jane Knight "Ziggurat" Fiber Wall Sculpture, Artist's Private Collection 1970s

This exceptional monumental fiber wall sculpture was created in the mid-1960s by acclaimed Detroit textile artist Jane Knight (1928–2013) and remained in the artist's own private collection throughout her lifetime. Never exhibited or offered for sale, it represents an extraordinarily rare opportunity to acquire a significant work directly from one of the pioneers of American fiber art.

Executed entirely by hand, the sculpture is composed of tightly wrapped vertical jute forms accented with bands of vibrant crimson, vermilion, orange, and golden yellow wool. The upper portion blossoms into a rhythmic arrangement of sculptural loops, while a dramatic cascade of natural jute fibers forms an organic fringe below. Measuring approximately 54 inches high by 21 inches wide, the work possesses a remarkable architectural presence despite its intimate scale, creating a compelling interplay of color, texture, shadow, and relief.

Knight's work transcends traditional textile art, functioning instead as sculptural abstraction. The composition evokes both natural and architectural forms—suggesting a sheaf of wheat, a ceremonial standard, or an abstract botanical study—while celebrating the tactile qualities of natural fibers. The subtle variation in the hand-wrapped surfaces and the meticulous construction reward close examination, revealing the extraordinary craftsmanship for which Knight became known.
Born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, Jane Knight earned her BFA from the University of Michigan in 1951 before serving as Art Director for Detroit's iconic J.L. Hudson department store and designing for the Cranbrook Theatre School. Through her husband's work with Eero Saarinen & Associates, she became part of an influential circle of architects and designers that included Eero Saarinen, Charles and Ray Eames, Alexander Girard, and George Nelson. This extraordinary creative environment profoundly shaped her artistic vision, blending modernist principles with a deep appreciation for craftsmanship and organic form.
Knight's monumental textile sculptures were commissioned for distinguished residential and corporate interiors and exhibited in galleries throughout San Francisco, Chicago, and New York. Her work has been featured in publications devoted to fiber art and is represented in important corporate collections, including BorgWarner and Chrysler.

With impeccable provenance from the artist's own estate, this museum-quality sculpture embodies the innovation and sculptural ambition that defined the American Fiber Art movement of the 1960s. Rarely do works of this caliber, provenance, and originality become available, making it an important acquisition for collectors of postwar American art, studio craft, and mid-century modern design.