It can be easy to dismiss quilt patterns from last century as culturally irrelevant. But the bold patterns of Gee’s Bend quilts show an essence of Warhol in their contemporary patternings.
These quilt patterns began in the rural, isolated community of Boykin, Alabama and went on to gain national recognition for their seemingly improvisational designs. A craft that began with the intent to make a functional object for warmth, evolved into designs that are geometric, boldly colored, and highly expressive.
Several Gee’s Bend quilters have been recently been awarded 2015 National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Fellowships.
Source: designfaves.com