PHOTOGRAPH BY ARTHUR ROTHSTEIN, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PRINTS & PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION, FARM SECURITY ADMINISTRATION/OFFICE OF WAR INFORMATION.
In the wine world, terroir refers to the environment in which an item is produced—the unique flavor imparted by factors such as topography, climate, and soil. Though it is not a term commonly used in the world of art, in many cases it is true that a thing—whether a painting, a piece of pottery, or a quilt—could not be produced anywhere else in the world, but at its point of origin. Gee’s Bend is such a place. The quilts invite the viewer into a world of both struggle and joy and invoke an emotional response that comes from a place of empathy and the deep understanding of what it means to be human. The history of Gee’s Bend is fraught with the pain of enslavement and extreme poverty, but from that experience comes a tale of joy, resilience, and triumph of the human spirit that can only be told by these artists, in this place, and in this time.
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PHOTOGRAPH BY ARTHUR ROTHSTEIN, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS PRINTS & PHOTOGRAPHS DIVISION, FARM SECURITY ADMINISTRATION/OFFICE OF WAR INFORMATION.
In the wine world, terroir refers to the environment in which an item is produced—the unique flavor imparted by factors such as topography, climate, and soil. Though it is not a term commonly used in the world of art, in many cases it is true that a thing—whether a painting, a piece of pottery, or a quilt—could not be produced anywhere else in the world, but at its point of origin. Gee’s Bend is such a place. The quilts invite the viewer into a world of both struggle and joy and invoke an emotional response that comes from a place of empathy and the deep understanding of what it means to be human. The history of Gee’s Bend is fraught with the pain of enslavement and extreme poverty, but from that experience comes a tale of joy, resilience, and triumph of the human spirit that can only be told by these artists, in this place, and in this time.
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The Women Create Foundation is a catalyst for small but significant strides to empower women creators through grants that help bring projects to life and foster innovation.
