New Exhibition at Minnesota Center for Book Arts Explores the Storytelling Power of Quilts

Quilt, Not Quilt: The Afterlife is a new exhibition at Minnesota Center for Book Arts (MCBA), on view from October 12^th ­­­- December 2^nd in the Open Book Cowles Literary Commons. This exhibition features artwork that repurposes old, tattered quilts into new forms while still preserving the quilts’ heritage, craftsmanship, and legacy. The opening reception for Quilt, Not Quilt will take place on Wednesday, October 17 from 6-8pm. The reception includes an artist talk and poetry reading from 7-8pm in the Target Performance Hall on the second floor of Open Book, as well as a meet and greet with the artists and poets. Both the exhibition and reception are free and open to the public.

Twelve participating artists created paper, poetry, broadsides, and other works from quilts, drawing inspiration from the textiles themselves as well as from the stories they tell. The artists explored the political, economic, and social contexts surrounding the creation of the quilts, making connections between the makers’ history and their work. The artwork created for the exhibition touches on themes of craftsmanship and labor, scarcity and wealth, and stories both recalled and forgotten.

Quilt, Not Quilt showcases artists from the MCBA community and beyond. Participating artists include Zoë Bird, Katy Collier, Tari “TJ” Goerlitz, Georgia A. Greeley, Darius Homayounpour, Karen Kinoshita, Dana LeMoine, Rosa Maria de la Cueva Peterson, Jerry McClelland, Cathy Ryan, Patty Wheeler Andrews, and Morgan Grayce Willow. Each artist transformed their chosen quilt in unexpected and thought-provoking ways, and the resulting exhibition both honors the practice of quilting and expands established notions about what it means to craft and make art.

As the largest and most comprehensive center of its kind in the nation, Minnesota Center for Book Arts celebrates the book as a vibrant contemporary art form that takes many shapes. From the traditional crafts of papermaking, letterpress printing, and hand bookbinding to experimental artmaking and self-publishing techniques, MCBA supports the limitless creative evolution of book arts through book arts workshops and programming for adults, youth, families, K-12 students, and teachers. MCBA is located in the Open Book building in downtown Minneapolis, alongside partner organizations The Loft Literary Center and Milkweed Editions. To learn more, visit www.mnbookarts.org.