Quilt of Belonging-The Invitation Project
September 13, 2009 by Noreen Crone-Findlay
Filed under book review, inspiration
How could I have not heard about this glorious tapestry before now?
Quilt of Belonging-The Invitation Project copyright
My dear friend pulled this incredible book
out of her bag and asked:
Have you seen this?
Quilt of Belonging-
The Invitation Project
by
Esther Bryan
and friends,
published by
Boston Mills Press
2005
is a spectacular book
that chronicles the creation
of a 263 block tapestry
of needlework techniques
made by people
who have immigrated to Canada as well as the many numbers of indigenous peoples who were here before immigrations began.
Esther Bryan is a fiber artist who conceived of this dazzling project and co-ordinated the vast number of people who were integral to creating the Quilt of Belonging. She tracked down an immigrant artist (who had moved to Canada) from every possible country in the world, and then invited them to express their culture by making a block that reflected their home country and roots. She also asked people from each of the indigenous aboriginal cultures do the same thing. Even cultures that have gone extinct are represented.
The book is just incredible, with a page devoted to each block in the gigantic quilt, with the story of the maker of the block, and a beautiful full color photo of each block.
The techniques are spectacularly diverse and masterfully executed. It is dazzling!
This is a reference encyclopedia of the needlework techniques of Planet Earth!
There is also a lovely website for the Quilt of Belonging, where you can see photos and also there’s a youtube video:
(youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4di1ftfa28)
It’s breathtakingly beautiful- what a treasure!
