Fabric of a Nation: American Quilt Stories
November 17, 2022–March 12, 2023
November 17, 2022–March 12, 2023
This exhibition was on view at the Skirball
November 17, 2022–March 12, 2023
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
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
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