Past Exhibitions

And Still We Rise: Race, Culture and Visual Conversations

October 6 - December 30, 2017

Third Floor Galleries

Using the powerful medium of story quilts, And Still We Rise: Race, Culture and Visual Conversations narrates nearly four centuries of African American history, from the first slave ships to the first African American president and beyond. Through 85 quilts from more than 60 artists of the Women of Color Quilters Network, the exhibition reveals the stories of freedom’s heroes, ranging from Phillis Wheatley to Frederick Douglass to the Tuskegee Airmen.

Story quilting is an art form that has derived in part from a long, rich history in Ohio and goes beyond the simple quilting patterns many people may be familiar with. Story quilting expands on traditional textile-arts techniques to record, in fabric, events of personal or historical significance. Through the accessibility of their colors, patterns and symbols, the quilts of “And Still We Rise” relate narratives that enable conversations about sensitive topics from our national history, furthering the discussion of racial reconciliation in America.

Presented by the Women of Color Quilters Network in partnership with Cincinnati Museum Center and National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.

This exhibition is supported at the Columbus Museum by Aflac, the Columbus Cultural Arts Alliance, the Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau, and the Hardaway Endowment Fund.