The American Folk Art Museum in New York is presenting "An Ecology of Quilts: The Natural History of American Textiles," an exhibition of 30 quilts from its collection of over 600 pieces. Co-curators Austin Losada and Emelie Gevalt highlight the materials and labor behind the quilts, including indigo dye and cotton, while featuring works by Malissia Pettway of Gee's Bend and Japanese artist Tomie Nagano, the only living artist in the show.
The exhibition matters because it reframes quilts not merely as decorative objects but as products of global trade, land use, and often uncredited labor, including the brutal histories of indigo cultivation and slavery. By emphasizing the resourcefulness of makers like the Gee's Bend quilters, the show connects craft to broader social and economic narratives, offering a nuanced view of American art history.