Spotlight: Yvonne Wells, March 23, 2023-June 4, 2023
Spotlight: Yvonne Wells challenges the notion that quilts are craft and not fine art and uses as an example a quilt by African-American quiltmaker and Alabama native Yvonne Wells. The artist initially approached her work with a practical purpose in mind; using found scraps of fabric, she took up quilting during the cold winter months of 1979 to keep her and her children warm. With no prior sewing experience, Wells experimented with different techniques rather than using existing patterns. After determining that following a pattern did not provide enough creative freedom, in 1984, Wells began creating quilts to visually address her experiences during the Civil Rights Movement as well as religious, historical, and sociopolitical concerns.
For this exhibition, the MMFA will present two quilts by Wells. Her portrayal of one of Alabama’s most celebrated former residents, Helen Keller, and a quilt commemorating the Negro Baseball League.