Gee's Bend Quilts at Jerald Melberg Gallery

Wednesday, 14 June 2006 12:01

Charlotte, NC - Jerald Melberg Gallery is pleased to present an exhibition of extraordinary prints and original quilts by Mary Lee Bendolph and Louisiana Bendolph, two of the internationally acclaimed Gee’s Bend quilters.  Exhibition 8 July until 2 September.

The women of Gee’s Bend, a small rural community in southwest Alabama, are celebrated for making exquisite abstract quilts.  Based on skills and an aesthetic passed down through several generations, the quilts have been highly praised for their raw beauty, bold geometry and sophisticated color sense.  The New York Times called the quilts some of the most miraculous works of modern art America has produced.

Mary Lee and her daughter-in-law Louisiana Bendolph, both native Gee’s Bend quilters, have created colorful etchings that reflect the same great quilting tradition.  Each of the prints is the translation of an actual quilt sewn by one of the Bendolph women.  Working collaboratively with master printers, Mary Lee and Louisiana were able to capture in amazing detail the stitching and textures of the used and worn fabrics in the original quilts.

Visit Jerald Melberg Gallery at : www.jeraldmelberg.com