Carolyn Mazloomi , Harriet Powers , 2024

2024

Medium

Cotton, India ink, textile paint, cotton thread, and cotton batt

Dimensions

170.2 × 153.7 cm

Status

In Gallery Collection

Collect24 Art ID

C24-505006

This quilt pays homage to Harriet Powers, who made two of the most important quilts ever made in the United States. Harriet Powers (1837-1910) was a Black folk artist and quilt maker from Georgia, born into slavery. As a freed woman, she made intricate story quilts, which depicted scenes from the Bible, African American life, and nature. Her works are considered some of the finest examples of African American quilting and have been recognized as important contributions to American art and cultural heritage. Only two of her quilts remain and they are considered among the greatest American art treasures. Harriet Powers' quilts are celebrated for their vibrant colors and intricate stitching, symbolism and storytelling, and historical significance. Her quilts provide insight into the lives of African Americans during the late 19th century. Her most famous quilts include the “Bible Quilt” (1886) and the “Pictorial Quilt” (1888). These works are now held in the collections of the Smithsonian Institution and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, respectively. Harriet Powers' legacy has inspired many African American quilt makers. Many African American quilters like to make narrative story quilts, and Powers' quilts are great examples of the narrative style. Harriet Powers is lovingly thought of as the Mother of African American quilting. The images in the background of my quilt are patterned after actual images in Powers' Bible quilt. In her hand she holds one of the blocks from her Bible quilt.