MY HEAD NEEDS TO BE PATCHED

mars 12, 2013

Patchwork quilts, or my memory of them, is very strange. It goes back to early childhood as I seem to remember a crochet woolen large square in my great Aunt’s house in Melbourne? Or is this a figment of my imagination? Black curling locks around bright colours and lots of squares. All my life I have thought of patchwork being in woolen crochet squares. Light years ago, close friends took me to the heart of New Jersey - a tiny village which was also supposedly the «heart of patchwork» tradition. Of course they were beautiful. Different pieces of cotton joined together with extraordinary stitch work. I must have expressed a desire to see such an American centre as after all, this was an important country for the development of needlework. I bought nothing and I can still see the disappointment on the friend’s face. I was not appreciative. For me these were definitely not patchwork quilts.
On Sunday I went over to th Mona Bismark centre (American art centre where I saw Mary Cassat a few months ago)

A SHOULD? A COULD? OR A MUST? 3rd January

I was ready to admire my version of woolen squares .....Not ONE in sight.

The earliest quilts date as far back as sewing itself. There is evidence that the ancient world (Egypt, Greece, the Middle East) was already familiar with quilt-making, as it appears in the Bible – “Joseph’s coat of many colors,” for instance, an early example of patchwork. In Europe, the practice dates back to the Middle Ages, used for the Crusaders’ clothing and (padded) trappings that protected horses during tournaments. Banners were made according to the same technique and of course the Harlequin’s costume includes two colored parts assembled together. When they immigrated to the United States, European communities brought with them their respective textile practices, which they adapted to the materials available. Heterogeneous in nature, the practice mixes Old World, locally-produced and other imported fabrics, such as silk, resulting in uniquely American styles, patterns and techniques.

Of course I was disappointed but at least I learnt a lot....about time after all these years. The two techniques, needlework and crochet had never been "squared" in my brain!!!

So mumbling and grumbling to myself, I crossed the river and went over to the Branly Museum.

The musée du quai Branly, inaugurated in 2006, presents an exceptional collection of masterpieces of “primary arts” from the entire world. Ceremonial masks, sculptures, votive statues, magical objects, traditional costumes and textiles, ritual accessories, jewelry, the works of this exceptional book of images recount the history of African, Asia, Oceania, and the Americas through that of their people and their civilizations

This is what I was planning to see.

One of those exhibitions which was not a must and would end in June. On the other hand, it was just across the road and I had not had the opportunity of seeing it when I was there for the Australian Aboriginal exhibition. Talk about clichés. The photos of blond hair, dark hair, red hair and the definition of all they are supposed to mean. Masks, dead people’s hair - you name it, it was all there. Just a couple of things caught my eye - all made of hair of course for the islanders or China and a couple of sculptures.