Elegy Quilts

Elegies move through three stages: a deep lament expressing sorrow, honoring the subject, and finding acceptance.

I waited until just about the last possible moment to enjoy The Elegy Quilts exhibit created by Jesse Krimes at The Fabric Workshop and Museum in Philadelphia. Of course I read about it, looked at images, and kept telling myself to go. Tick tock. Time flew by and finally I made the time to soak in the elegy Krimes created.

I admit a bias with stories involving the criminal justice system, and incarceration in particular. This is something I’ve spent many years learning about from the earliest years of my childhood as my father, a criminal defense attorney (not an attorney criminal), made his living defending many an underdog. Prisons are microcosms of the many things wrong with our society at large. And they are largely disregarded as the people in them are discarded by society. All this to say, I may be a bit biased.

This exhibit was not only eye-catching, its themes and composition are undeniable. The warmth of home through quilts that have been well used and I’m supposing loved, make up the background of just about each one. There are traditional quilt patterns as backgrounds. Various birds appear in each one, mostly oversized. There are chairs, lots of bathtubs, a desk, phone, and children’s toys, elements from home.

When I come across an exhibit like this I am not only drawn to the textures, colors, and design, but also to the stories being shared. Artists tell stories, going well beyond the words we can read in the brief description of the artist’s work. They evoke thoughts, feelings, and a sense of wonder in the viewer. I am inspired by Jesse Krimes’ quilts, his story, and the ways in which we can each tell stories through our art.

Stories are meant to be shared. How do you share yours?