MEDIA KIT - Queensland Art Gallery

QUEENSLAND ART GALLERY
15 JUNE – 22 SEPTEMBER 2013
MEDIA KIT
MAJOR SPONSOR
TOURISM PARTNER
Exhibition organised by
the Victoria and Albert
Museum, London
Maker unknown, Britain / Quilted and Embroidered Cot cover (detail) dated 1703 / Linen /
Collection: Victoria and Albert Museum, London / © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

14 June 2013
HISTORIC QUILTS REVEALED AT QAG
An exhibition of historic British quilts opens at the Queensland Art
Gallery (QAG) tomorrow, bringing with it the enthralling social histories
and personal stories of more than 200 years of quiltmaking and
patchwork.
Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) Director
Chris Saines said ‘Quilts 1700–1945’, from London’s Victoria and Albert
Museum (V&A) was on display exclusively at QAG until September 22.
‘The exhibition includes more than 35 hand-crafted textiles created to
provide comfort and commemorate historical events and family
occasions between 1690 and 1945, plus a host of associated material
such as pin cushions, needlework tools and sewing baskets,’ Mr Saines
said.
‘The works in ‘Quilts’ come primarily from the esteemed collection of the
V&A, the world’s leading decorative arts and design museum.
Maker unknown / Cover or hanging showing
alphabet of love and courtship 1875–85 /
Wool / Collection: Victoria and Albert
Museum, London / © Victoria and Albert
Museum, London
‘Select pieces have travelled from British regional museums and private
collections, and there is the special addition of the much-admired Rajah
quilt 1841, sewn by convict women during transportation to Van
Diemen’s Land, on loan from the National Gallery of Australia.’
Divided into four thematic sections, the exhibition explores the domestic landscape of the wealthy bedrooms
of 18th century Britain; the private thoughts and political debates that emerged as patchwork spread to
aspirational middle class homes in the early 19th century; the movement of quilts to the public sphere for
exhibition and display in Victorian England; and the survival of quiltmaking in economically deprived areas in
the face of the emergence of mass production in the early 20th century.
‘The exhibition has been curated for QAG by Sue Prichard, Curator of Contemporary Textiles at the V&A,
based on the popular exhibition ‘Quilts 1700–2010: Hidden Histories, Untold Stories’, presented in 2010 at the
V&A,’ Mr Saines said.
‘QAGOMA previously partnered with the V&A for ‘Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones’ in 2010 at QAG.’
Mr Saines said public programs throughout the duration of the exhibition would bring the fascinating histories
of quiltmaking to life for visitors.
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During the opening weekend, Saturday June 15 sees a guest lecture by exhibition curator Sue Prichard, and
an in-focus session on The Rajah quilt with Dr Robert Bell, the National Gallery of Australia’s Senior Curator
of Decorative Arts and Design. Sue Prichard will also appear in conversation with Sally Foster, QAGOMA
Assistant Curator of International Art (pre 1975), for an informal tour of the exhibition.
On Sunday June 16, QAG will host the first of four free monthly Sunday Stitch-ups – afternoons of hands-on
workshops, talks on contemporary crafting and Suitcase Rummage markets with local designers and vintage
enthusiasts. Sunday Stitch-ups will also be held on July 21, August 18 and September 22.
‘Quilts 1700–1945’ is organised by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London. The exhibition is supported by
the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art’s Chairman’s Circle of companies as Major Sponsor, and
Brisbane Marketing as Tourism Partner.
The exhibition is accompanied by the 196-page publication Quilts 1700–1945, a co-edition from QAGOMA
and the V&A.
For more information on the exhibition and accompanying programs, and to purchase tickets, visit
qagoma.qld.gov.au/quilts
QAGOMA will also present an exhibition of contemporary quilts by celebrated Brisbane quilt-maker, the late
Ruth Stoneley (1940–2007), in the Xstrata Coal Queensland Artists’ Gallery at QAG from July 13 to October
7.
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EXHIBITION OVERVIEW
• ‘Quilts 1700–1945’ from the Victoria and Albert Museum,
London (V&A) is on display exclusively at the Queensland Art
Gallery from June 15 until September 22, 2013.
• The exhibition explores over 200 years of British patchwork and
quilt-making, uncovering the personal and social histories
embedded in extraordinary, hand-crafted textiles.
• The exhibition includes 55 objects: 36 quilts and 19 items of
associated material such as pin cushions, needlework tools and
sewing baskets dating from 1690 to 1945.
Elisabeth Chapman / Coverlet commemorating the Duke of
Wellington detail c.1829 / Cotton / Collection: Victoria and Albert
Museum, London. Given by Gwendolyn Baker in memory of her
husband, Stephen Baker / © Victoria and Albert Museum,
London
• Drawn primarily from the collection of the V&A, the exhibition
also includes select additional pieces lent by some of the UK’s
finest regional museums and private collections, and
showcases some of the finest surviving examples of British bed
covers, wall hangings and textiles from the eighteenth and
nineteenth centuries.
• The exhibition will also feature one of the world’s most important and admired textiles, The Rajah quilt 1841,
which was sewn by convict women during transportation to Van Diemen’s Land, on loan from the National
Gallery of Australia.
• ‘Quilts 1700-1945’ is curated by Sue Prichard, Curator of Contemporary Textiles at the V&A, and has been
developed from the successful exhibition, titled ‘Quilts 1700-2010: Hidden Histories, Untold Stories’, staged
at the V&A from 20 March to 4 July 2010.
• A new, revised version of the publication that accompanied the V&A exhibition has been published by
QAGOMA, as a soft cover book with approximately 196 pages it will include an extended essay on The
Rajah quilt by Robert Bell, Senior Curator of Decorative Arts & Design, National Gallery of Australia,
Canberra.
• ‘Quilts 1700–1945’ is a ticketed exhibition. Tickets available via www.qagoma.qld.gov.au/quilts
• Ticket costs: Adult $15, Concession $12, Member $11, Secondary students $8, Children 12 & under Free,
Family (1-2 adults & children aged 13-17) $38, Season Adult $45, Season Concession $36, Season
Member $33

THEMATIC SECTIONS
THE DOMESTIC LANDSCAPE
In 18th-century Britain, the bedrooms of the wealthy were used for the display of luxury goods. Ornamental
patchwork bed hangings and quilted bedcovers reflected a household’s access to a range of fashionable
textiles, from colourful imported chintzes to sumptuous silk velvets. Many were bought specially, but
householders also recycled textiles from other objects, a common practice given the financial and emotional
investment in valuable fabrics. Beautifully worked bed hangings and bedcovers were found in both middleclass
and aristocratic households. Some were purchased from professional centres of production such as
Exeter or Canterbury; others were made within the home itself.
PATCHWORK BED HANGINGS 1730–50
This is the only set of chintz bed hangings from this period that
survives in a public collection. They would have been created for a
fashionable middling or aristocratic household. The original use of
the word ‘chintz’ was for Indian cotton cloth on which a pattern was
produced by hand-drawing and dyeing with mordants and resists.
While there was immense enthusiasm for chintz among British
consumers in the late seventeenth century, there were also many
opponents to the imported Indian goods, including the weavers of
wool, linen and silk. In a bid to protect British manufacturing, a law
was passed in 1701 to forbid the import of dyed or printed cottons
and silk from India into Britain, except for re-export. Despite this
ban, the overwhelming fashion for these light, colourful textiles led
the writer Daniel Defoe to comment that it had:
Maker unknown / Patchwork bed hangings 1730-50
/ Cotton, linen, fustian and silk / Collection: Victoria
and Albert Museum, London / © Victoria and Albert
Museum, London
. . . crept into our houses; our closets and
bedchambers, curtains, cushions, chairs and at
last beds themselves were nothing but calicoes
and Indian stuffs, and in short almost everything
that used to be made of wool and silk.
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PRIVATE THOUGHTS, POLITICAL DEBATES
At the start of the 19th-century, the British market was flooded with a new range of printed cottons. They
were used for clothing and furnishings, including the creation of light, bright coverings for the bedroom.
Printed textile panels became popular, with many celebrating military victories and royal celebrations. As
the making of patchwork spread among middle and working class homes, women were keen to produce
finely worked items that signalled their aspirations toward gentility.
COVERLET WITH KING GEORGE III REVIEWING THE
TROOPS 1803-05
This patchwork coverlet was worked during a period of
intense naval euphoria. The central scene shows King
George III reviewing the volunteer troops, and is based on a
painting by John Singleton Copley (1738–1815) His Majesty
reviewing the volunteer corps (1799). On 4 June 1799, King
George III carried out a review of 15,000 volunteer troops at
Hyde Park, London.
Maker unknown / Coverlet with King George III
reviewing the troops (detail) 1803–05/ Cotton /
Collection: Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
Given by Gertrude S Ferraby / © Victoria and
Albert Museum, London
In several scenes, a small, red-haired figure appears
alongside soldiers and sailors. Absent from the original
prints, this may well be a self-portrait of the maker.
COVERLET COMMEMORATING WELLINGTON
1829
Family history associates this coverlet with the
marriage of John and Elisabeth Chapman. The
block printed panel used at the centre of this
patchwork coverlet was printed to commemorate
Wellington's victory at Vittoria, the last battle of the
Peninsula War in 1813. The range of dates in the
coverlet, including papers dating from the 1790s
and the date of the central commemorative panel,
suggests that it was worked on for a number of
years, but never finished as the tacking stitches
have not been removed.
Elisabeth Chapman / Coverlet commemorating the Duke
of Wellington (detail) c.1829 / Cotton / Collection:
Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Given by
Gwendolyn Baker in memory of her husband, Stephen
Baker / © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
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VIRTUE AND VIRTUOSITY
Throughout the 19th-century, Britain’s unrivalled position as a successful mercantile and manufacturing
economy created unprecedented technological, social and economic changes. As the educational program
of Victorian England established itself, with its emphasis on social improvement, quilts moved from the
home to the public sphere. Some of the most inventive examples of 19th-century patchwork were produced
for exhibition and display, often with an educational aim.
Such works were produced not just by women, but by men. Their inspiration came from diverse sources –
the Bible, military history and popular characters from theatre and music hall. The Temperance Movement
also promoted patchwork. They saw it as a ‘self-help’ method of resisting the lure of taverns and the
damaging effects of alcohol, particularly for men serving in the military.
MILITARY QUILT 1864–77
This military quilt of tailor’s broadcloth may have been
created or purchased by Francis Brayley, a private stationed
in India between 1864 and 1877. Soldiers were encouraged
to take up sewing as an alternative to the less salubrious
pursuits of drinking and gambling. In the late 1860s,
Soldiers’ Industrial Exhibitions offered prizes for skills as
diverse as rifle-shooting and embroidery. Needlework was
also used as a form of therapy for those injured in conflict.
Possibly Francis Brayley / Military quilt (detail)
c.1864–77 / Wool / Collection: Victoria and Albert
Museum, London / © Victoria and Albert Museum,
London
COVER OR HANGING SHOWING ALPHABET OF
LOVE AND COURTSHIP 1875–85
The central panels of this quilt depict the various
rituals and emotions associated with courtship,
moving from ‘Admiration’ to ‘Zingari’ (an archaic term
for the Romany community). These images are
framed by a border that makes reference to an array
of cultural figures and symbols, including fairground
favourites such as Mr Punch, and gaming card
motifs in the four corners. Coupled with the size of
the object, these references suggest that it may have
been created in relation to a card game. Textiles with
playing-card motifs became particularly popular in
the 1880s and ’90s.
Maker unknown / Cover or hanging showing alphabet of love
and courtship (detail) 1875–85 / Wool / Collection: Victoria
and Albert Museum, London. Given by R Wood / © Victoria
and Albert Museum, London
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MEMORIES AND EMOTIONS
At the start of the 20th-century, increased access to mass-produced goods such as bedcovers marked a
decline in traditional craft skills. Quilt-making survived in economically deprived areas such as Wales and
the north-east of England, where the design and sewing of quilts were both an important means of selfexpression
and a way of earning money for widows and families with no income. Throughout the 20thcentury
quilts continued to have a functional role, providing warmth and decoration yet also serving as acts
of remembrance providing a link between the past and the present.
SANDERSON STAR BEDCOVER 1910–20
The design of this bedcover, originally conceived by quilt
designer Elizabeth Sanderson, was much emulated in the early
20th-century. Although this quilt cannot be attributed to
Sanderson, it testifies to her significance as a designer and
teacher.
She had a profitable career as a ‘stamper’ marking out quilt-top
designs in blue pencil for quilting by professional or domestic
quilters. She ran an apprentice system, training young girls in
stamping at her house so that they could eventually be hired as
professional markers.
Maker unknown / ‘Sanderson Star’ bedcover
1910–20 / Cotton / Collection: Victoria and
Albert Museum, London / © Victoria and
Albert Museum, London
THE RAJAH QUILT 1841
In 1816, Elizabeth Fry formed the British Ladies’
Society for the Reformation of Female Prisoners. They
donated sewing supplies to women in prison and soon
turned their attention to convict ships bound for
Tasmania.
Fabric, thread and needles were carried on board HMS
Rajah by 180 women prisoners when it set sail from
Woolwich on 5 April 1841. When the ship arrived in
Hobart, Australia, the women had produced The Rajah
quilt. Now in the National Gallery of Australia
Collection, it is one of the world’s most important
textiles.
Unknown female convicts on board the Rajah / The Rajah quilt
(detail) 1841 / Pieced medallion style unlined coverlet: cotton
sheeting and chintz appliqué, silk thread embroidery / 325 x
337.2cm / Gift of Les Hollings and the Australian Textiles Fund
1989 / Collection: National Gallery of Australia, Canberra
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CURATOR BIOGRAPHY
Sue Prichard is curator of ‘Quilts 1700–1945’ and editor of the
accompanying Victoria and Albert Museum and Queensland Art
Gallery I Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) co-publication Quilts
1700–1945.
Sue joined the V&A in 2001 and is responsible for the Museum's
collection of post-war textiles. She has curated a number of
contemporary textile displays at the V&A including ‘Recent
Acquisitions 1992-2002: A Decade of Collecting Textiles’ (2003-4)
and ‘Penelope's Thread: Contemporary Tapestry from the
Permanent Collection’ (2006). Sue also curated the highly
successful display ‘Concealed-Discovered-Revealed: New Work
by Sue Lawty’ (2005) which included Lawty’s period as V&A artist
in residence to create ‘World Beach Project’.
Sue has written several publications including The Fifties: V&A
Pattern (2009) and collaborated with the Henry Moore Foundation
on Henry Moore Textiles, for which she wrote the introduction
British Textile Design: The Quest for a New Aesthetic.
Exhibition Curator Sue Prichard

PUBLICATION
Quilts 1700–1945 is a 196 page publication co-edited by
the Queensland Art Gallery I Gallery of Modern Art
(QAGOMA) and Victoria and Albert Museum to
accompany the exhibition. The soft cover book entitled
celebrates more than 200 years of British quilts and
patchwork, drawn from the V&A’s rich textile collection.
The significant textile The Rajah quilt 1841, from the
Collection of the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra,
is showcased in an essay by Robert Bell, Senior Curator,
Decorative Arts and Design.
Quilts 1700–1945 is available for purchase online or in
the ‘Quilts 1700-1945’ pop up shop at the Queensland Art
Gallery for $35.95.
http://www.australianartbooks.com.au/

OPENING WEEKEND AND PUBLIC PROGRAMS
To celebrate the opening of ‘Quilts 1700–1945’ the Queensland Art Gallery will host a series of lectures, tours,
events and workshops. A valid exhibition ticket is required for programs and events, unless otherwise stated.
SATURDAY 15 JUNE
10.30am International guest lecture: ‘Hidden Histories, Untold Stories’ Cinema A, GOMA
‘Quilts 1700–1945’ exhibition curator Sue Prichard, Curator, Contemporary Textiles, Victoria and Albert Museum,
London, will share insights into the development of the exhibition.
Free, no exhibition ticket required.
11.30am In-focus: ‘The Rajah quilt’ Cinema A, GOMA
Dr Robert Bell, AM, Senior Curator, Decorative Arts and Design, National Gallery of Australia, will explore the
background of the exquisite object The Rajah quilt 1841, one of the earliest examples of quilting in Australia.
Free, no exhibition ticket required.
2.00pm Curators in conversation Gallery 4, QAG
Visitors to the exhibition can join Sue Prichard, Curator, Contemporary Textiles, Victoria and Albert Museum, and
Sally Foster, Assistant Curator, International Art (pre 1975), QAGOMA, for an informal exhibition tour introducing
key themes and ideas.
SUNDAY 16 JUNE
SUNDAY STITCH UPS
Launches Sunday 16 June and continues on: 21July and 18 August
Sculpture Courtyard, QAG
From Sunday 16 June visitors to the Gallery can spend Sunday afternoons during ‘Quilts 1700–1945’ engaging in
Sunday Stitch-ups outdoor events in the Sculpture Courtyard including hands-on workshops, contemporary talks
and Suitcase Rummage markets with local designers, crafting and vintage enthusiasts.
Entry is free, no exhibition ticket required.
12 noon – 2.00pm Workshop
Launches Sunday 16 June and continues on: 21July and 18 August
Hands-on workshops will focus on working with embroidery, vintage fabrics and other materials. Workshops are
run by the Queensland University of Technology’s Stitchery Collective.
Entry is free and no bookings are required. All ages welcome, materials provided.
12 noon – 4.00pm Suitcase Rummage
Launches Sunday 16 June and continues on: 21July and 18 August
A mini-market where local designers, crafters and vintage enthusiasts sell their wares, will be a feature of each
Sunday Stitch-up. The Suitcase Rummage will feature vintage and handmade items such as art work, bric-a-brac,
clothing, books, jewellery, seconds/samples, shoes, records, music, badges, cards and terrariums.
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ILLUSTRATED LECTURES
Monthly illustrated lectures will explore the history of quilting traditions in European, Australian, Asian and Pacific
contexts. This is a free event. No exhibition ticket or booking is required however, seating will be limited.
2.00pm Saturday 20 July - 200 Years of the History of Quilts in Australia Lecture Theatre, QAG
Quilting historian Dr Annette Gero, FRSA, will examine the fascinating history of quilting in Australia, comparing
the extraordinary British quilts brought to Australia during the colonial period with those featured in ‘Quilts 1700–
1945’.
2.00pm Saturday 10 August - Quilts Conservation Lecture Theatre, QAG
Mary Jose, textiles conservator and Director of Fabric of Life, Adelaide, will provide insights into the technical
aspects of quilts, with a particular focus on the preservation of irreplaceable textiles and the cultural heritage they
represent.
IN-FOCUS FLOORTALKS
Local researchers and writers will provide insights into the periods of social change reflected in ‘Quilts 1700 -
1945’.
2.30pm Sunday 23 June - The Domestic Landscape ‘Quilts 1700 - 1945’ exhibition space, QAG
Dr Courtney Pedersen, Creative Industries Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, will consider ideas of
femininity and domesticity presented in the exhibition.
2.30pm Sunday 14 July - Memories and Material Culture ‘Quilts 1700 - 1945’ exhibition space, QAG
Dr Dolly MacKinnon, Senior Lecturer in Early Modern History, The University of Queensland, will explore material
culture, memory and hidden stories about quilt-makers.
TALKING CONTEMPORARY CRAFTING
Local writers, designers and professionals will share insights into the influence of crafting and sustainability on
contemporary fashion, jewellery and textile design.
2.00pmSunday 16 June - Etsy and the Contemporary Crafting Phenomenon
Kathleen Horton, Head of Discipline, Fashion, Creative Industries Faculty, Queensland University of Technology
2.00pm Sunday 21 July - Transforming Parisian Second-hand Clothing into Brisbane Couture
Carla Binotto and Carla van Lunn, Designers, Maison Briz Vegas
2.00pm Sunday 18 August - Sustainable Fashion, Sustainable Living
Tess Curran, Deputy Editor, Peppermint magazine
SPECIAL EVENT: WINTER DESIGN MARKET
9.00am – 4.00pm Saturday 22 June, GOMA Forecourt
Celebrate the creativity of Brisbane’s vibrant craft and design community at QAGOMA Store’s Winter Design
Market featuring stalls by leading local craft artists and designers including jewellery, ceramics, textiles, paper
products and more.
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VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM
Established in 1852, the V&A is the world’s leading decorative arts and design museum. Its collections span
two thousand years, with works of art and design in virtually every medium, from many parts of the world.
The V&A Museum’s founding principle was to make works of art available to all, to educate working people
and to inspire British designers and manufacturers. Its collections expanded rapidly as it set out to acquire the
best examples of metalwork, furniture, textiles and all other forms of decorative art from all periods. It also
acquired fine art — paintings, drawings, prints and sculpture — in order to tell a more complete history of art
and design.
The V&A's collection spans the cultures of Europe, North America, Asia and North Africa, and date from
ancient times to the present day. In particular, the V&A’s collection of works that originated in Britain,
especially textiles, is extraordinary. The British collections enable the V&A to explain not just the history of
design in the British Isles but also the broader sweep of their cultural history.
‘Quilts 1700-1945’ at the Queensland Art Gallery has been developed from ‘Quilts 1700–2010: Hidden
Histories; Untold Stories’, which showed at the V&A, from March 20 to July 4, 2010.
Previously, the Queensland Art Gallery staged the successful exhibition ‘Hats: An Anthology by Stephen
Jones’ from the V&A in 2010.