Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories
November 17, 2022–March 12, 2023
This is a past exhibition
This exhibition was on view at the Skirball
November 17, 2022–March 12, 2023
About the Exhibition
Discover the extraordinary stories behind three hundred years of American quilts. Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories features works by more than forty artists, including Harriet Powers, Bisa Butler, and Sanford Biggers. Come celebrate the artistry and vision of a diverse and largely under-recognized group of creators in an exhibition that brings to light stories that enrich, deepen, and complicate our understanding of the American experience.
Fabric of a Nation illuminates the unique capacity quilts have to tell stories and convey a sense of humanity. Whether produced as works of art or utilitarian objects, their tactile, intricate mode of creation and traditional use in the home impart deeply personal narratives of their makers and offer an intimate picture of American life. Originally organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, the Skirball’s presentation will feature additional works by Los Angeles artists Sabrina Gschwandtner, Ramsess, and Sula Bermúdez-Silverman, as well as a quilt from its own collection highlighting key moments in American Jewish history.
Hear from the artists and curators about select quilts with our mobile guide!
Curatorial Acknowledgments
Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories was first curated by Jennifer Swope and presented by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Danielle Killam curates its West Coast debut for the Skirball Cultural Center.
Organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
“Contemporary exhibitions of quilts [like Fabric of a Nation] have left the comfort of nostalgia behind for the cacophony of the multivalent.”—Art in America
In the News
Who is American? Skirball exhibition in L.A. answers the question with quilts
Los Angeles Times | November 22, 2022
Quilting exhibit at Skirball stitches together art, activism
Spectrum News 1 | November 21, 2022
Image Gallery
Bisa Butler (American, b. 1973), To God and Truth, 2019. Printed and resist-dyed cottons, cotton velvet, rayon satin, and knotted string; pieced, appliquéd, and quilted. Made possible by the generosity of the John H. and Ernestine A. Payne Fund, the Heritage Fund for a Diverse Collection, and the Arthur Mason Knapp Fund © Bisa Butler. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Virginia Jacobs (American, b. 1944), Krakow Kabuki Waltz, 1987. Cotton plain weave, pieced and quilted. Gift of the artist. Reproduced with permission. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Carla Hemlock (Haudenosaunee, Kanienkeháka (Mohawk), b. 1961), Survivors, 2011–2013. Cotton plain weave and glass beads; pieced, appliquéd, beaded, and quilted. Made possible by the generosity of the Heritage Fund for a Diverse Collection. Reproduced with permission. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Tomie Nagano (Japanese, b. 1950), Indigo Colour Mixture, 2004. Cotton plain weave, cotton filling; pieced and quilted with polyester thread. Gift of Wayne E. Nichols. Reproduced with permission. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Hamish Amish Quilters, Ellis Island, 1996. Cotton plain weave, pieced, embroidered, and quilted. Gift of the Hamish Amish Quilters and their families. Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles. Photograph by Robert Wedemeyer © Skirball Cultural Center.
Lillie Mae Pettway (American, 1927–1990), Quilt: Housetop, 12-Block Variation, 1965. Printed cotton, corduroy, wool; pieced and appliquéd. Made possible by the generosity of the Frank B. Bemis Fund, the Heritage Fund for a Diverse Collection, the Gallery Instructor 50th Anniversary Fund to support the Heritage Fund for a Diverse Collection, and gift of Souls Grown Deep Foundation from the William S. Arnett Collection. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Hoosier Suffrage Quilt, before 1920. Cotton plain weave, pieced, embroidered, and quilted. Made possible by the generosity of the Frank B. Bemis Fund and with funds donated anonymously. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Unknown African American, Double Wedding Ring Quilt, about 1940. Pieced cotton plain weave top, cotton plain weave back, and binding; quilted. Gift of the Pilgrim / Roy Collection. Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Photograph © Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
More to Explore
Fabric of a Nation and Together for Good—Skirball Curator Talks
In these recorded talks, first, Skirball curator Dani Killam and Museum of Fine Arts, Boston curator Jennifer Swope discuss themes and quilt art found in Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories. Then, hear from artist Caron Tabb about her work in the companion exhibition Together for Good: Caron Tabb and the Quilting Corner.
Curator Dani Killam on KCET
Hear curator Danielle Killam talk through the themes of Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories and the ways in which the quilts in the exhibition seek to answer the question: "Who is American?"
Artist Sabrina Gschwandtner on KCET
Learn how Sabrina Gschwandtner uses 35mm film to create quilts that honor women in film and see her works on view in Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories.
Related Programs and Exhibitions
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Together for Good: Caron Tabb and the Quilting Corner
November 17, 2022–March 12, 2023
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Donor Support
The exhibition and its related educational programs at the Skirball Cultural Center are made possible by generous support from the following donors:
The Philip and Muriel Berman Foundation
The Richard E. and Harriett F. Gold Charitable Fund
David and Sarah Harden
Jenni Kayne
The Keston Family
Alicia Miñana and Rob Lovelace
Additional support is provided by:
Coral Courts Foundation
Lois Neiter
Media sponsor:
