Threaded Stories’ Spotlights Narrative Quilts by Black Americans — Colossal
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The exhibition Masters of the Stitch: Threaded Stories at the Claire Oliver Gallery highlights compelling narratives expressed through fabric. It features works ranging from Sharon Kerry-Harlan’s abstract patterns depicting Black faces to Donna Chambers’ portraits inspired by significant events like President Barack Obama’s inauguration.
Curated from Carolyn Mazloomi’s collection, the exhibition underscores the artistic value of quiltmaking. Mazloomi, who founded the Women of Color Quilters Network, has spent decades promoting quilts as a form of artistic expression beyond mere “folk curiosity.” According to a statement, the works serve as fine art, historical archives, and cultural testimonies, affirming that Black quiltmaking holds a rightful place in the American art canon.
Sharon Kerry-Harlan, “Power in Numbers” (2016), whole cloth cotton, cotton batting; screenprinted, machine pieced and quilted, 49.5 x 49.5 inches
Featuring 12 artists, the exhibition reflects diverse stories and perspectives, including childhood memories, the COVID-19 pandemic, and civil rights events like the Freedom Train. The gallery notes that Black American quilts uniquely blend domestic craft with public testimony. For generations, these textiles have conveyed stories of family, faith, resistance, grief, and joy that were not always openly spoken.
Masters of the Stitch: Threaded Stories runs through August 8 in Harlem. Additionally, viewers might appreciate Stephen Towns’ quilted depictions of midcentury Southern leisure and Bisa Butler’s vibrant stitched portraits.
Donna Chambers, “POTUS #44,” commercial cotton, African cotton, cotton batting; embroidery, piecing, machine appliquéd and quilted, 35 x 33 inchesMarion Coleman, “Living in the Shadows” (2016), commercial cotton, cotton batting; machine appliquéd and quilted, 50 x 50 inchesSharon Kerry-Harlan, “On the Face Of It” (2010), cotton fabric, fabric paint, mixed media; appliquéd and quilted, 71 x 102 inchesKathy Nida, “Covid’s Daughters” (2020), cotton fabric, cotton batting; machine appliquéd and quilted, 59 x 51 inchesWendell Brown, “The Family” (2024), commercial cotton, cotton batt, yarn, found objects, cotton canvas, acrylic paint, hand-painted and hand-stitched, 75 x 75 inchesViola Leak, “About Jazz” (ca. 2006), cotton fabric, cotton batt, netting, metallic fibers, beads, suede fabric, found objects, acrylic paint, hand-painted, hand-stitched, and machine quilted, 80 x 63 inchesMichael Cummings, “Haitian Mermaid #2” (1996), sequins, shells, knit fiber, lamé, found objects, cotton batting; machine appliquéd and quilted, 67 x 51 inchesPeggie Hartwell, “A Time to Wait” (2015), commercial cotton, batiks, cotton batting, cotton and nylon thread, fabric paint; hand-painted and machine appliquéd and quilted, 57 x 51 inches
