Textile Arts Council

April 19 – Why Quilts Matter at Textile Arts Council and the de Young Museum in San Francisco

On Saturday, April 19th, 2014, Textile Arts Council and the de Young Museum in San Francisco, will host a presentation and discussion with Shelly Zegart as guest speaker.

Quilts, as Shelly will discuss in her presentation, are the tangible expressions of ideas about art, self, and community that range across a wide spectrum. As the quiltmakers of Gee’s Bend, Alabama, will tell you, the consideration of their work as art is new to their way of thinking. It is not a question of the ability to create and appreciate the aesthetics of their work, but one of how the contemporary art world receives and values that work. Shelly Zegart continues to demolish the divisions that inhibit the reception of the quilt as art—both in the minds of makers and viewers. This is a rare opportunity to learn about the evolution of her career with quilts as she shares both favorite quilt images as well as uses some key clips from her nine episode documentary Why Quilts Matter: History, Art & Politics to illustrate her presentation. She will talk about the goals she had from the outset when deciding to create the documentary and its Discussion Guide – who she was trying to reach and why and what she learned along the way.

Shelly Zegart has spent more than three decades researching, documenting and showcasing the rich heritage of quilting in America. Garnering national and international recognition, her work transcends stereotype and myth, combining rigorous academic scholarship with a deep respect and personal connection to the craft. Her lectures, essays, and books epitomized by her 2008 article Myth and Methodology: Shelly Zegart Unpicks African-American Quilt Scholarship in the British art journal Selvedge embrace concerns that engage collectors, curators, historians, folklorists, and others. From collector, scholar, dealer, author, to filmmaker- Shelly is always looking at the role and impact of quilts at the center of American culture. The task is far from complete.

More about the event:

April 19th, 2014
10:00 am

Textile Arts Council and the de Young Museum
Koret Auditorium

50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
San Francisco, California
Golden Gate Park

Admission to the program is FREE for Textile Arts Council Members, $10 General Admission, $5 Students and FAMSF members.  More information: about the program | about the tickets