Illusion Basket (1980)

Kee Bitsinnie puts his visual and spatial skills on display in this intricate geometric basket. The appropriately named Illusion appears to move before our eyes. Alternating black and white checks create a radiating pattern reminiscent of a historic Diné (Navajo) rug design called Tumbling Blocks. Contemporary Diné baskets featuring purely geometric designs focus on patterns and shapes instead of figures and symbols. Some reflect designs found on ancient ceramics from the Four Corners area.  Beginning in the 1980s, with the encouragement of Twin Rocks Trading Post owners Steve and Barry Simpson, Diné graphic artist Damian Jim assisted weavers in designing complex and visually dazzling geometric baskets. The result of this creative infusion is a stunning display of original optical art.