Gee, That’s Sew Like Her

Art-o-philes in the FTL can finally exhale – the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale (1 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale) has reopened! The Museum, which had shut its doors in June for maintenance and aesthetic enhancements, will start fresh on Friday with the arrival of the acclaimed “Quilts of Gee’s Bend” exhibition.

“Those must be some seriously gnarly blankets,” you say? Indeed they are. The collection of over 60 quilts hail from the remote rural community of Gee’s Bend, nestled by the banks of the Alabama River. The small town was a haven for antebellum blacks, who, through isolation from the rest of Alabama, developed an art and culture uniquely their own. The quilts are a result of six generations of artistry: some timeless and full of history, others embodying an African, almost modernistic feel.

For the exhibit’s opening weekend, the MOA has invited 16 of Gee’s quilters to interact with museumgoers. On Saturday at 2 p.m., the quilters will participate in a storytelling session, full of historical and deeply personal tales, followed at 3 by a Q & A session and book signing. On Sunday the group will hang out for a daylong open house, so viewers can get some one-on-one time with the artists. Admission is $10 for adults and $7 for students, seniors, or military. Call 954-525-5500, or visit www.moafl.com.
Sept. 8-Nov. 1, 2007