Lecture - Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories
Join us for a conversation with Jennifer Swope, David and Roberta Logie Associate Curator of Textile and Fashion Arts at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Jennifer will discuss the diverse stories of the American experience told by the quilts and coverlets spanning over 400 years in the upcoming MFA exhibit: Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories. You can view the exhibit in the Ann and Graham Gund Gallery starting October 10, 2021 through January 17, 2022.
Quilts and coverlets, used in North America since the 17th century, have a unique capacity to tell stories. Their tactile making by hand and their traditional use in the home impart deeply personal narratives of their creators, and the many histories they express reveal a complex record of America. Upending expectations about quilt displays—traditionally organized by region, form or motif—Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories is a loosely chronological presentation that is divided into seven thematic sections and incorporates the perspectives of artists, educators, academics and activists.
This conversation is free and open to the public. We ask that you reserve a space and remember that masks are mandatory indoors in Cambridge and Somerville.
Limited to 15 people (all ages and interests are welcome):
- We provide: Jennifer Swope and space
- You bring: yourself and perhaps your current craft project to work on while here.
- Event length: 60 minutes
- This is FREE and open to the public - we request you register for the health and safety of the community.
Image 2: Vote quilt, 1975, Irene Williams Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Image 3: Krakow Kabuki Waltz, 1987, Virginia E. Jacobs Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Image 4: Housetop quilt, 1935, Rachel Carey George Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Image 5: Jennifer Swope, David and Roberta Logie Associate Curator of Textile and Fashion Arts at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. June 14, 2021 * Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
- Receive a Zoom invitation link the morning of the workshop.