Burlington, VT — The Fleming Museum of Art at ¶¶Òõ̽̽ presents Handstitched Worlds: The Cartography of Quilts, on view from September 10 through December 6, 2024.
Like many objects rooted in the everyday, quilts have the capacity to communicate stories about the context in which they were made and used. They represent maps of the quilters’ lives—living records of cultural traditions, rites of passage, relationships, political and spiritual beliefs, landmark events, and future aspirations. In the same way, a map is a pocket-sized abstraction of the world beyond what can be seen; in a quilt, a maker’s choice of fabric and design reveals insights into the topography of their world and place within it.
Handstitched Worlds: The Cartography of Quilts invites viewers to read quilts as maps, tracing the paths of individual stories and experiences that illuminate larger historic events and cultural trends. Spanning the nineteenth to the twenty-first centuries, the exhibition brings together 18 quilts from the collection of the American Folk Art Museum, New York, representing a range of materials, motifs, and techniques—from traditional early American quilts to more contemporary sculptural assemblage. The quilts in Handstitched Worlds show us how this too-often overlooked medium balances creativity with tradition, individuality with collective zeitgeist.
Artist Unknown, "Mennonite Quilt: Joseph’s Coat," Early 20th Century, Cotton, Image Courtesy of the American Folk Art Museum, Gift of Karen and Werner Gundersheimer, Photo by Gavin Ashworth
Handstitched Worlds: The Cartography of Quilts was organized by the American Folk Art Museum, New York and is toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC. This exhibition was organized for the Fleming Museum by Kristan M. Hanson, PhD, Curator of Collections and Exhibitions, and generously supported by the Kalkin Family Exhibitions Fund. To see the photo gallery associated with this story, find the image caption at the top of this page and click the square of dots in the right-hand corner.
American Folk Art Museum
Since 1961, the has been the leading institution shaping the understanding of art by the self-taught through its exhibitions, publications, and educational programs. As a center of scholarship, it showcases the creativity of individuals whose singular talents have been refined through personal experience rather than formal artistic training. Its collection includes works of art from four centuries and nearly every continent—from compelling portraits and dazzling quilts to powerful works by living artists in a variety of mediums.
International Arts & Artists
International Arts & Artists in Washington, DC, is a non-profit arts service organization dedicated to increasing cross-cultural understanding and exposure to the arts internationally, through exhibitions, programs and services to artists, arts institutions and the public. Visit .
Media Contact: International Arts & Artists: 202.338.0680 | info@artsandartists.org
Fleming Museum of Art
¶¶Òõ̽̽’s Fleming Museum of Art has brought world-class art to ¶¶Òõ̽̽ and the heart of Burlington since 1931. With over 24,000 works (and growing) within its collections, the Museum serves as an extension of the classroom that centers interdisciplinary inquiry and study. Each year, thousands of students, faculty, and visitors from across the globe explore the galleries, engage with new exhibitions, and enjoy a range of community events. Learn more at uvm.edu/fleming.
For media inquiries, reach out to Rachel Lynne Moreau | 802.656.8582 | rachelmoreau@uvm.edu