Quilting is one of the skills that date back to slavery in America. African American women, most who worked in the homes of wealthy slave owners, would quilt for their masters and for their personal use.
Over the years, quilting has been used for different things and purposes, one of which is to create art.
Baltimore-based artist Stephen Towns has used quilting to tell the story of Nat Turner. In 10 quilts, he captures Turner’s upbringing and the slave rebellion he led.
Turner was a black American slave who led a slave rebellion in 1831. The rebellion is considered the most effective and sustained revolt by slaves in the United States history. His actions, however, caused a serious backlash, which included legislation that limited the movement, education and assembly of slaves.
In the exhibition called Ruminations and a Reckoning at the Baltimore Museum of Art, Towns captures the various stages of Turner’s life.
On why he chose quilting, Towns said was the only way to tell the story.
“Quilting was the only way to get it done because it’s an old tradition; it’s a tradition that African-Americans have used for many years; it’s a way of preserving memory through fabric,” he said in an interview with Hyperallergic.
The work was not without challenges. Towns says that he had wanted to buy the huge first American flag but he could not afford it. He was forced to use the resources he had.
He also had to deal with messing up the quilts in the process of self-teaching himself.
The Ruminations and a Reckoning exhibition is Towns’ first exhibition and continues until September 2, 2018.
Anthony Madu, the 14-year-old Nigerian dancer from Lagos who gained admission to a prestigious ballet…
Actor-host Wayne Brady recently opened up about his early financial struggles in his now thriving…
Mia Arianna, also known as @mia.ariannaa on TikTok, helped her son become an honorary team…
Alvin Gauthier, a Grand Prairie USPS postman, recently went above and beyond to brighten a…
Maj. Gen. Fatuma Gaiti Ahmed is the first female commander of the air force and…
Benjamin E. Mays High School brought together its 272 senior class members for a meeting…
Afrika Owes' emotional response to learning that she had passed the bar exam on her…
A 49-year-old New York attorney was on April 26 sentenced to 10 years in federal…
During an appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show on Wednesday, pop legend Cher opened up…
Authorities in Florida said an 11-year-old boy was accidentally shot and killed by his 14-year-old…
The famous Taylor Schlitz family is making headlines once more as the youngest of the…
Sony Pictures Entertainment has appointed Tahra Grant as its Chief Communications Officer. She replaces Robert…
Meet Ashley M. Fox, the founder of Empify and the first in her family to…
Tyra Banks, the iconic former host of Dancing With the Stars, has made a delightful…
A Brazilian woman named Érika de Souza, 42, is under investigation for manslaughter after authorities…