While we often associate quilts with their functions as bedspreads or pleasing hobbies, the roots of craftsmanship are deep. Art forms have long been associated with storytelling, and many styles have enabled manufacturers to share cultural symbols, memory and autobiographical details through bright colors and patterns.
African-American quilts have significantly influenced this practice since the 17th century, when enslaved people began sewing crumbs to make blankets for warmth. Through artists like Harriet Powers or Gee’s curved quilts, this powerful expression lives in the rich tapestry and textile works being made today.
A new exhibition called The Structure of the Country: The American Quilt Story at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts Opened this week at the Frist Art Museum, nearly 50 quilts from the MFA series were investigated. Works spanning the 19th to 21st century, contemporary artists like Bisa Butler’s bold textiles include examples from the Civil War era and the commemorative album Quilt.
The story is A country’s structure This delves into the socio-political environment in which the work is made, and how narrative, symbolism, and autobiography shape its composition. For example, a unique Civil War quilt was completed in 1864 by an unknown manufacturer, repurposing the fabric of Zouave’s uniform. The small panels feature birds, horse-riding soldiers and the American flag, bring us to the age of three years of the American War.
Another fascinating piece is another flag composition where the stripes are stitched with dozens of names, including Susan B. known as the “Hoosier Election Quilt”, which is believed to be a supporter of the chronicle.
Recently, Michael C. Thorpe’s untitled work features patchwork of batik fabrics. Butler’s massive “To God and Truth” is a colorful reimagining of 1899 photos. She transformed the black and white image into a vibrant patterned portrait of the African American baseball team at Atlanta’s Morris Brown College.
fabric It will open on June 27 and last until October 12 in Nashville. Find more and plan your visit on the museum website. You might also like to explore more quilts from Black Southern maker or Stephen Townes in Jim Crow South’s casual embroidered tableaux.
