Textile Installation Titled 'Eye' by Detroit Fiber Artist Jane Knight 1970s

A sculptural textile wall installation titled Eye by renowned Detroit fiber artist Jane Knight (1928–2013). Executed in the 1970s, this striking composition is comprised of 21 individually suspended jute elements hand-wrapped in richly colored wool, creating a rhythmic geometric abstraction with subtle jewel-tone accents against a natural fiber ground. The work retains its original embossed copper studio plaque and was acquired directly from the Knight family's private collection.
Jane Knight was born in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, and received her BFA from the University of Michigan in 1951. Following graduation, she served as Art Director for Detroit's luxury department store J.L. Hudson and later designed for the Cranbrook Theater School. Through her husband's work with Eero Saarinen & Associates, Knight became immersed in one of the most influential circles of twentieth-century American design, forging friendships with Eero Saarinen, Charles and Ray Eames, Alexander Girard, George Nelson, and many of the leading architects and designers who shaped the modern movement.
An avid traveler and passionate collector, Knight drew inspiration from both the natural world and the work of artists such as Alexander Calder and Henri Matisse. Throughout her career she produced monumental suspended environments, architectural commissions, and intimate wall-mounted textile sculptures distinguished by their bold geometry, refined craftsmanship, and exceptional tactile presence.
Knight's work has been exhibited in San Francisco, Chicago, and New York, published in books devoted to contemporary fiber art, and commissioned for numerous corporate interiors, including BorgWarner and Chrysler. Her wall-mounted sculptures are widely regarded as the most celebrated expressions of her artistic vision, combining hand-twined wool and heavy jute into compositions that perfectly embody the sculptural ambition and material experimentation of the American Fiber Art movement during the 1960s and 1970s.
This example remained in the Knight family's collection for decades after its original exhibition history and is among a remarkable group of works recently rediscovered from storage. Many of these sculptures had not been displayed since their inclusion in the landmark "Art Fabric '77: The Contemporary American Tapestry" exhibition at the San Francisco Galleria Design Center.
An exceptional and highly decorative example that seamlessly bridges fine art, textile design, and Mid-Century Modern architecture.
Other important works by Jane Knight are available.