Fold Unfold

Lyndon House Arts Center - Athens, GA.

Curated by Jessica Smith and Susan Falls

By Dianne Totten

The Lyndon House Arts Center (Ware-Lyndon House, built circa 1840) in Athens, GA was the perfect setting for the “Fold Unfold” exhibition. The installation culminated after a long period of research on Southern coverlets, supported by a Craft Research Fund grant from The Center for Craft, Creativity & Design, and the Savannah College of Art and Design.  The show not only celebrates the existence of the handwoven coverlet, but encourages a renewed look at the creativity and functionality of the past and instills a desire to repeat this work in the present. The installation also places the overshot coverlet as a timeless art form for the future.

In a collaborative effort, Susan Falls, Professor of Anthropology, and Jessica Smith, Professor of Fibers (both at the Savannah College of Art and Design) designed this aesthetically rich, ambitious exhibit. They put out a call for coverlets to be woven on manually operated looms by individuals or groups. The size was established to be approximately 80″ x 88,” the size of a typical 19^th century coverlet. Makers were asked to use any color falling on the white-gray-black scale, keeping a neutral palette to draw the viewers’ attention to the detail and the mastery of the weavers’ work. The materials could be traditional or contemporary. The patterning could be historical or innovative, but should consider overshot geometric patterning of 19^th and early 20^th century American coverlets.

“Fold Unfold” (June 24 – August 19, 2017), installation view at Lyndon House Arts Center, Athens, GA.

The show opens with the coverlets neatly folded and stacked forming pillars, echoing the way Falls and Smith found many coverlets in their research in house museums. Being able to view only a small portion of pattern for each creates excitement; viewers actively imagine what the unfolded coverlet looks like. The viewer can contemplate the stories, the planning, the skill, and the decisions that were involved in the creation of the coverlets.

When it was time to reveal the coverlets, the public gathered in anticipation of the ‘Unfolding.’ The performance began with a brief overview of the project. The pillars of coverlets, standing ready for exposure, were impressive reminders of the skills of the maker’s hands and the countless hours spent creating such a body of work. One by one, as the weaver’s name was announced, their coverlet was unfolded, the design revealed, and held for viewing on both sides, then re-stacked to display the full size, calling to mind its purposeful use.

Well over 100 weavers from coast to coast participated. Their backgrounds were as varied as the designs and patterns they produced. Makers’ skill levels ranged from production weavers, designers, college professors and art program teachers to students, tradesmen, and hobbyists. They each have their own reasons for making.

With the diversity of coverlets displayed the viewer can be engaged on many levels. The ideas behind the designs, the significance of fiber and color choices within a neutral palette, dyeing techniques and the stories of each artist are revealed in the “Fold Unfold” catalog.

“Fold Unfold” is an awe-inspiring project that admirably calls back to memory long after one has left the exhibition.

(June 24 - August 19, 2017)

Dianne Totten is an award-winning weaver. Her professional career spans for 30 years. She is a professor at John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC.

Filed Under: Reviews