Mary A. Jackson

Sweet Grass Basket

1999

  • Sweetgrass, pine needles, palmetto; bundled, bound, coil constructed
  • 17 1/2 x 16 1/4 x 16 1/4 in. (44.5 x 41.3 x 41.3 cm)
  • Gift of Marcia and Alan Docter, 2000
  • 2000.15a,b

glossary terms

coil construction

material

Fiber

curator’s statement

Unlike more traditional baskets which are fairly simple in shape and average in size, Mary Jackson's sweetgrass basket is larger and more complex, with its tall round handle and variation of light- and dark-colored materials. Her designs are typically a contemporary, more abstracted version of traditional utilitarian designs. Historically, these kinds of baskets were meant for everyday use on plantations, to help with tasks, both in the fields or in the home. Many in the Mount Pleasant, South Carolina area, as well as Jackson herself, consider this tradition as an important link to their community and to their past.
back to top

materials & techniques

The tradition of sweetgrass basketmaking, produced by those in the Mount Pleasant and Charleston, South Carolina community, has been passed from generation to generation, since West Africans slaves brought the practice to the area in the eighteenth century. The tradition of sweetgrass basketmaking, one of the oldest art forms of African origin in the United States, is rather distinctive to this group, connecting the people with their ancestors. "It was important for maintaining my ancestors' identity," Mrs. Jackson said. "It reminded us of where we came from and that we came from someplace. The techniques were jealously guarded, and it was a cardinal sin to teach it to those outside the family structure, especially to whites." (The New York Times, Ronald Smothers, June 6, 1993). The technique, which is very physically demanding, involves tight coiling and stitching of fiber strips from wild grasses. Basketmakers must use a tool called a bone to pierce the lengths of grass, in order to pull them through the work.
back to top

object description

The container is circular and squat, having a trapezoidal profile and a slender, rounded handle rising above the basket base. Each end of the handle splits into two strands which attach to the base. Light and dark grasses, including shades of light olive green, red-brown, and warm yellow-beige, alternate to form a geometric striping pattern on the basket. The basket is perfectly balanced and symmetrical.
back to top