Amish Quilt

From: Denver Art Museum
Limited Edition: 12
Exhibition: Amish Quilts: Kaleidoscope of Color from the Collection of Faith and Stephen Brown
Material: Printed 2-ply vinyl
Dimensions: 30" x 89" (76cm x 226cm)

Hanging Hardware Included

Summary

The Amish are renowned for their quilts, one of which, "Broken Star Quilt" from around 1930 is featured on 12 banners from the Denver Art Museum's exhibition "Amish Quilts: Kaleidoscope of Color". The Amish create quilts as utilitarian objects, viewing art as frivolous. Ironically, the quilts’ simplicity, use of color, and geometric construction often make them visually similar to abstract modern art.

Description

The Amish call themselves "plain people". Following their religious beliefs, they reject mainstream culture and live life simply and humbly within their strong community. They are not stuck in a past time, but rather choose to accept or reject new advances based on how they better their daily lives and strengthen their familial ties.

The Amish are renowned for their quilts, which they create as utilitarian objects, viewing art as frivolous. Ironically, the quilts' simplicity, use of color, and geometric construction often make them visually similar to abstract modern art. The unexpected and surprising relationship between these disparate objects was the focus of this unique exhibition at the Denver Art Museum. The website of the collectors, Faith and Stephen Brown, offers some fascinating comparisons between Amish quilts and modern art.

The banner features a detail of Broken Star Quilt which was made around 1930 in Holmes County, Ohio. The Broken Star pattern is a traditional one that showcases the elaborate pattern as well as the voids between the inner and outer stars. This relates to the way in which contemporary artists like Sol LeWitt and Mark Rothko play with simple geometric shapes and the positive and negative spaces around them. Text in black bands on the banner includes the exhibition title, dates, and museum name. Both sides of this banner are identical.

Provenance

These banners were displayed around Denver, Colorado to promote the exhibition Amish Quilts: Kaleidoscope of Color from the Collection of Faith and Stephen Brown at the Denver Art Museum, March 19 - June 19, 2005.