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| Paul Klee's painting (left) inspired Marsha McCloskey's 1973 quilt (right) |
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| "Burg und Sonne" 1928, by Paul Klee |
I'm sure there are other quilts that were inspired by art history, just as there are paintings and other works of art inspired by quilts. Marsha's quilt is especially interesting because of its function and when it was made. The quilt is a wall hanging. It functions as a work of art rather than a bed cover. It's an art quilt, made more than a decade before the art quilt movement took hold.
Just two years earlier, in 1971, the groundbreaking exhibit "Abstract Design in American Quilts" appeared at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. That exhibit was when many people first saw quilts as works of art displayed on walls in a museum setting. Quilts were almost immediately accepted as great works of art, but at the time, very few quiltmakers were actually making art quilts.
"Klee" - the art quilt - is an affirmation. Quilts and art history are inseparable. There are probably a few people who have known it all along, but artists like Marsha McCloskey paved the way for everyone else to put the idea into practice. Today, there are millions of quilts made for wall display rather than the bed. It's something we expect to see. That's what makes Marsha's quilt so remarkable. It predicted the future of quiltmaking in America, and today, it launches us into the whole conversation about quilts and art history.
Just two years earlier, in 1971, the groundbreaking exhibit "Abstract Design in American Quilts" appeared at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. That exhibit was when many people first saw quilts as works of art displayed on walls in a museum setting. Quilts were almost immediately accepted as great works of art, but at the time, very few quiltmakers were actually making art quilts.
"Klee" - the art quilt - is an affirmation. Quilts and art history are inseparable. There are probably a few people who have known it all along, but artists like Marsha McCloskey paved the way for everyone else to put the idea into practice. Today, there are millions of quilts made for wall display rather than the bed. It's something we expect to see. That's what makes Marsha's quilt so remarkable. It predicted the future of quiltmaking in America, and today, it launches us into the whole conversation about quilts and art history.
Brava! Marsha!
ReplyDeleteYes, indeed, you paved the way for many of us from the Northwest.
Thanks, Bill, for shining the sun on this quilt and quilter.
Nyima
I have really enjoyed getting to know Marsha and her work. Her quilt legacy is truly remarkable, and I simply love how this quilt calls out for art historical contextualization.
DeleteI graduated with a degree in Art History and in one of my classes I had to do a project. Since fiber is my first love I choose to do a copy of a bed cover (quilt) that Sonia Delaunay had done in the early 1900's. She inspired me to start quilting. http://www.artnet.com/magazineus/reviews/nathan/sonia-delaunay-cooper-hewitt3-24-11.asp/wiki/Sonia_Delaunay Look her up when you get a chance. Wonderful designs and one quilt is in The Musee National d'Art Moderne in Paris. The movement that she was associated with is called Orphsim and is an offshoot of cubism. It is known for abstraction and bright colors. Her work today would be highly regarded and if someone were to use her designs in fabric would probably be huge sellers. I love that you brought up art history and quits. They do go hand in hand!
ReplyDeleteLove it. Do you happen to have a picture of the quilt and the painting that inspired it? I'd love to see. Sonia Delaunay's work is very good inspiration!
DeleteHere is a url to look at: http://tiltonfenwick.com/2011/03/must-see-sonia-delaunay/
DeleteLizzie she has also been compared to the Gees Bend quilters style. google her name and you will see a lot of great things!
Although Marsha's passion grew in a different direction, she began with experimenting and challenging herself. The fascination with this quilt is first the color statement, and second the surprise that this is one of Marsha's early quilts. It inspires boldness and the bravery of trying a style that feels uncomfortable.
ReplyDeleteThe color certainly makes a big statement, and that's something I'm seeing consistently in the quilts of the 1970s. I, too, was surprised that this was one of Marsha's early quilts. If I was writing a Quilt History book similar to Janson's History of Art, "Klee" is exactly the type of quilt I'd want to include. There is much to be said about it, and about Marsha. Her body of work has real historical significance. So glad to be able to share this quilt with everyone!
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