Gee's Bend Exhibition & Residency
Professor: Anthony Titus
Loretta Petway, the artist of the quilt I selected, to interpret into a cube, and many other quilt artists made quilts with the intention for survival and warmth from the cold, it safeguards the human body. Eventually, later on, they were recognized formally as art, which introduced them to the world. Michelle Obama’s dress was inspired by the design of the gees bend quilts.
To make the quilt, artists used found materials to create a unified piece. They used rags, jeans, thrifted, old clothes, even pockets, and stitched them together. They also ripped the material with their hands. They didn’t measure anything and didn’t use tools such as rulers or tape measures. There are slight misalignment and other surprising, unique moments. The found assemblages and quilts are deeply rooted in improvisation. It is endemic to African American culture that children learn it consciously by simply watching their families.
This technique of “the found”inspired the interpretation ofthe quilt into a 3-dimensionalcarved cube, where I incorpo-rated some already carved ma-terial from previous projects toportray the essence of the quilt.In the next iteration of thecube I explored the inversionof color and color as transpar-ent on carved surfaces showingthe grain/contour as it curvesand color as opaque. Openingson the exterior, carved color inthe interior.
With regards to the program,Gee’s Bend is trying to boostand generate an economythrough available rentals ofAirBnB. There is much eco-nomic hardship. Gee’s Bend isone of the few communitiesin America whose identity isopenly conditioned by ante-bellum slave-life events. Thispavilion offers live-in residencyand exhibition space attachedto the studios for the artistsand poets of different formssuch as paintings, sculptures.If visitors and artists wouldlike to visit the studio space,it is separate from residenceand exhibition space. There aretwo types of exhibition spaces: art by residents and art bynon-residents whose work is indialogue with the architectureand residents.
Exhibitions would potentially showcase assemblages: a three-dimensional work of art made by combining found objects and various materials to create a unified piece, which connects back to the concept that led to the pavilion. Exhibitions can host Murals painted by the community. And art on triptychs, taking advantage of the panels and the carving language. The goal is to bring the community together. While making quilts, they would pray and sing church hymns. As they paint, they can invent poetry, music, songs, lyrics and discussion between generations, the youth and the elderly. It is a collective act.
