News: African-American quilt art collection

Did you hear?! Nearly 3,000 quilts created by African-American artists have been left to the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive as a bequest from collector Eli Leon. Leon passed away last year at the age of 82. Prior to his death he spent a significant part of his life championing African-American quilt artists.

Rosie Lee Tompkins' "Untitled" (1995).
PC: Sharon Risedorph

The collections given to Berkeley include pieces from artists like Rosie Lee Tompkins, Willa Ette Graham and Arbie Williams. Some phenomenal artists! We're thrilled to hear of such amazing preservation of quilt art! Not only are we excited for all the gorgeous quilts that will be on display, but also all the history that will be learned from such an expansive collection.

"Basket Improvisation" (1981), by Willia Ette Graham.
PC: Geoffrey Johnson

According to a New York Times article, "two exhibitions of quilts from the bequest have already been planned. The first, a retrospective of Tompkins' work will open on Feb. 19, 2020. The second will follow in early 2022 and focus on the other artists represented in the collection, like Willia Ette Graham and Arbie Williams."

The exhibit featuring Rosie Lee Tompkins work will have over 500 of her quilts! Learn more by reading the New York Times article here.