Pattern, Rhythm, and Play

August 3–December 1, 2024

This exhibition featured unique and stunning examples of quilts from the Wisconsin Museum of Quilts & Fiber Arts collection. The quilts, each a masterpiece in its own right, highlighted the art form's fundamental elements of pattern, shape, line, and color. The exhibition, titled "Pattern, Rhythm, and Play," explored how these building blocks, when combined with the quiltmaker's creativity and sense of design, produced a variety of permutations and styles throughout the ages.

Quilt historian Barbara Brackman eloquently described the American quiltmaker's extraordinary design legacy in the pieced quilt as creating "a remarkable diversity within the structure of the gridded square." In this exhibition, visitors encountered a wide variety of quilt styles, from pieced, block-style patterns like a striking red-and-white Drunkard's Path and a moody wool Yo-Yo Variation to allover-style patterns such as a vibrant 1860s Star of Bethlehem and an exquisitely stitched example of a Hexagon quilt from the same era. These quiltmakers' hands and eyes produced enormous complexity and a sense of play while relying on simple shapes.

Nearly all of the twenty-nine quilts on view had never been shown before and represented the museum's collecting history, including recent acquisitions. WMQFA cared for over 800 quilts, from historic American examples to contemporary art quilts. The Acquisitions Committee was dedicated to expanding the collection, constantly seeking fine examples of existing quilt styles and filling gaps in the collection with new finds.

This exhibition is made possible through the generous support of the Wisconsin Arts Board - National Endowment for the Arts.