Contemporary Art at Historic Northampton
Keeping Busy: Five Artists Respond to Henrietta Lambie's Mourning Quilt, c. 1884
Curated by Esther S. White
Featuring original artwork by Angela Zammarelli, Anna Slezak, Annie Sollinger, Kat Howard and Lucy Trainor
Featuring original artwork by Angela Zammarelli, Anna Slezak, Annie Sollinger, Kat Howard and Lucy Trainor
Opening Reception:
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Friday, February 12, 2016 from 5 to 8 pm - Northampton's Arts Night Out
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Exhibition Dates:
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February 12 - March 6, 2016
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Quilt made by Henrietta Lambie, circa 1884
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At the end of the 19th century, American quilt design was turned on its head by women making wildly embroidered, richly textured, shockingly asymmetrical “Crazy Quilts” from velvet, silk, and plush fabrics. Henrietta Lambie, a Northampton resident, started a crazy quilt in 1884, at the height of the American “craze.” It was a memorial to the two children she lost in the 1880s, the first before she started the quilt and then a second soon after, while she was working on it. She cut the fabric from her family’s wardrobe, including dresses belonging to her two lost daughters. Some of the blocks were made by friends, and many were embellished with paint as well as thread. Many motifs have symbolic meaning, compounded by the fact that Lambie could probably trace the provenance of each patch. One can’t help but imagine the profound experience of making this quilt to remember her children, and the support of friends who contributed. |
Keeping Busy includes the original artwork of five contemporary artists with varied approaches to textile art and a shared interest in history and women’s stories. Each artist has created new work in response to Lambie’s mourning quilt, which will also be on display in the gallery. An exhibition catalog, including statements from the curator and artists, will be available at the opening.
Click here to view the Exhibition Catalog online.
Click here to view the Exhibition Catalog online.
Angela Zammarelli, detail, 2016
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Quilt by Henrietta Lambie, detail
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Anna Slezak, detail, 2016
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