| For her 80th birthday, rather than receive a gift, Joanna S. Rose was determined to give one. So the philanthropist, told her husband, Daniel, that she wanted the hundreds of red-and-white quilts she has collected over several decades to be publically exhibited, free for all the people of New York City to come see. Wish granted: From March 25 through March 30, the American Folk Art Museum will present Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White QuiltsITALICS at the historic Park Avenue Armory. Organized by quilts scholar Elizabeth V. Warren, a guest curator and trustee of the museum, and senior curator Stacy C. Hollander, and designed by Thomas Hennes, principle of Thinc Design, Infinite VarietyITALS will undoubtedly be one of the most innovative exhibitions to take up residence in the Armory's cavernous drill hall.
Rose began collecting American quilts in 1957 and has now amassed more than 1,000 examples. (50 are promised gifts to the museum.) She has found them at flea markets (spending $5 or $10 a piece), auction houses and, sometimes, antique dealers. "I have the instincts of a treasure hunter, not a collector," she explains in the brochure that accompanies the exhibition. "I choose quilts that appeal to me, without regard for the opinion of others or the marketplace.
Although it was not part of her initial plan, the majority of Rose's quilts are in a simple red and white palette. Ranging from the late 18th century to the late 20th century, the quilts display a stunning array of motifs: from traditional subjects inspired by nature (flowers, landscapes, stars) to purely geometric patterns that have modernist appeal. The quilts are the physical embodiment of the musing of women, gathered in sewing circles, from all socio-economic milieus and from across America. Until the mid-19th century and again during the Depression, fabric was highly valued so women, ever resourceful, often pieced together scraps to create finished quilts. From these acts of frugality emerged utilitarian objects of extraordinary beauty.
"In anticipation of our Year of the Quilt, we published Quilts: Masterworks of the American Folk Art MuseumITALS last fall," explains Elizabeth Warren. "It featured two-hundred of the best quilts in the museum's collection. Then out of the blue, Mrs. Rose contacted me. She was impressed with what a significant area of study quilts had become. We spoke about the social and economic history of quilts and how they are truly objects of design. Quilts tell a story like any other art form. She was interested in displaying her 650 red-and-white quilts at the Armory. And then we decided to do adjunct shows throughout the year at the museum."
"Communities of women in social circles historically have made quilts," explains Tom Hennes of Thinc Design. "The social aspect is embodied by a circle of chairs at the center of the exhibit. It is the physical and spiritual heart of the exhibit. Each chair has a quilt draped over it. The spiral references the profusion of creativity of the quilts. It literally spirals out of the circle above the chairs."
"Dotted throughout the space are quilts meant to be experienced in a more intimate way," says Warren. "They are two to three quilts high and are in the form of cylinders that people can walk through and see the quilts in a very close up way."
"Red and white has been a classic color scheme for American quilts since the early nineteenth century," Warren explains. "By the end of that century red-and-white quilts were at the height of their popularity because of the synthetic dye process that had become available, which lowered the cost of the fabric. From 1880 to 1920 that particular color red worked well with colonial revival decorating. It all comes down to fashion."
"In curating the show I chose specific quilts that would best be seen close up and placed them in areas where they will be seen that way," says Warren. "I then chose others that lend themselves to be seen higher up. Hung on the back wall of the Armory, they can be viewed from far away and still appreciated. There is a method to the madness." |
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