Gee's Bend Quilts & Beyond
Denise Gantt
Issue date: 3/2/10 Section: Entertainment
The Flint Institute of Arts is definitely a diamond in the rough. Although Flint has a reputation for a number of things, both positive and negative, the FIA is a wonderful place to experience culture in the fine arts, yet it is often overlooked. It hosts a collection of exhibits, both temporary and permanent, and it is worth checking out regularly.
One of the current exhibits is "Gee's Bend and Beyond," which displays the quilts of a group of African American women from Gee's Bend, Alabama. The art of quilt-making has existed since slavery, a tradition that has been passed down through the generations. The quilts featured in this exhibit were made by Mary Lee Bendolph, one of the best-known and most respected quilt-makers of Gee's Bend, along with quilts by her mother and daughters. It also features art by two Alabama artists, who developed themselves as artists independently. Overall, the exhibit shows that even an old tradition can change and evolve in dynamic ways without necessarily losing its traditional meanings.
Quilt-making is all about variety and diversity. The style of the quilts varies greatly depending on the style, theme, material, and the quilter himself or herself. There are specific types of quilts such as housetop, which represents the roof a log cabin from an aerial view, or bricklayer, where the boxes are sown in a fashion resembling the way bricks are laid. However, improvisation is an essential part of the Gee's Bend quilts. So while a quilt maker may start off with a style in mind, the finished product doesn't necessarily reflect a particular style, rather it shows the creativity of its maker. There were several variations of the housetop quilts displayed, each unique and different from the rest. In most cases the patches varied in size, color, and positioning throughout the quilt.
But some of them also have a deeper, symbolic meaning. Generally, the quilts were made from scrap materials, worn-out clothes, old bedspreads, weathered curtains, and faded tablecloths. Mary Lee Bendolph said that the old clothes have a spirit and love in them. When a quilt is made from the old clothes, it carries the spirit and love of those who wore them. The "Work-Clothes Quilt" was made of several different pairs of blue jeans and a few other fabrics, which were once worn while during various labor jobs. It symbolizes surviving the hard times. "Mama's Song," a quilt of black and white squares with a few patches of red, symbolized the quilt maker's mother, where the black and white blocks resembled piano keys and the red her mother's voice. Some pieces make a connection between the traditional art and a more contemporary sensibility. "Mrs. Bendolph," a contemporary piece created by Thornton Dial, was inspired by the quilts made by Mary Lee. The sculpture was fashioned similar to a quilt; however, it was made from clothing, bedding, enamel, carpet and spray paint, giving an industrialized, abstract twist to the tradition quilt. "Bricklayer Variation" is a modern version of the traditional quilt. Instead of old scrap material, it is made with fresh fabric, and replaces odd and uneven shaped boxes with symmetrical, evenly shaped rectangles, positioned in a distinct pattern. These pieces still carry the theme of unity in diversity, but in a more modern way.
This exhibit showcases the art form of many generations of African Americans that has survived the test of times. What was once made as an object for practical use and personal sentiment, has been discovered as a beautiful art form to be added to the expansive and diverse collection of American art.
One of the current exhibits is "Gee's Bend and Beyond," which displays the quilts of a group of African American women from Gee's Bend, Alabama. The art of quilt-making has existed since slavery, a tradition that has been passed down through the generations. The quilts featured in this exhibit were made by Mary Lee Bendolph, one of the best-known and most respected quilt-makers of Gee's Bend, along with quilts by her mother and daughters. It also features art by two Alabama artists, who developed themselves as artists independently. Overall, the exhibit shows that even an old tradition can change and evolve in dynamic ways without necessarily losing its traditional meanings.
Quilt-making is all about variety and diversity. The style of the quilts varies greatly depending on the style, theme, material, and the quilter himself or herself. There are specific types of quilts such as housetop, which represents the roof a log cabin from an aerial view, or bricklayer, where the boxes are sown in a fashion resembling the way bricks are laid. However, improvisation is an essential part of the Gee's Bend quilts. So while a quilt maker may start off with a style in mind, the finished product doesn't necessarily reflect a particular style, rather it shows the creativity of its maker. There were several variations of the housetop quilts displayed, each unique and different from the rest. In most cases the patches varied in size, color, and positioning throughout the quilt.
But some of them also have a deeper, symbolic meaning. Generally, the quilts were made from scrap materials, worn-out clothes, old bedspreads, weathered curtains, and faded tablecloths. Mary Lee Bendolph said that the old clothes have a spirit and love in them. When a quilt is made from the old clothes, it carries the spirit and love of those who wore them. The "Work-Clothes Quilt" was made of several different pairs of blue jeans and a few other fabrics, which were once worn while during various labor jobs. It symbolizes surviving the hard times. "Mama's Song," a quilt of black and white squares with a few patches of red, symbolized the quilt maker's mother, where the black and white blocks resembled piano keys and the red her mother's voice. Some pieces make a connection between the traditional art and a more contemporary sensibility. "Mrs. Bendolph," a contemporary piece created by Thornton Dial, was inspired by the quilts made by Mary Lee. The sculpture was fashioned similar to a quilt; however, it was made from clothing, bedding, enamel, carpet and spray paint, giving an industrialized, abstract twist to the tradition quilt. "Bricklayer Variation" is a modern version of the traditional quilt. Instead of old scrap material, it is made with fresh fabric, and replaces odd and uneven shaped boxes with symmetrical, evenly shaped rectangles, positioned in a distinct pattern. These pieces still carry the theme of unity in diversity, but in a more modern way.
This exhibit showcases the art form of many generations of African Americans that has survived the test of times. What was once made as an object for practical use and personal sentiment, has been discovered as a beautiful art form to be added to the expansive and diverse collection of American art.
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