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The first thing you’ll notice about Quilt of Belonging is its size. At 36 metres long, the Quilt stands out. One of Canada’s largest collaborative textile art projects, the Quilt features 263 blocks, representing all First Peoples living in Canada and every world nation.
Esther Bryan came up with the idea for Quilt of Belonging, realizing that every person and every nation has a story to tell―there is a place for all in the human tapestry.
“I began Quilt of Belonging in the fall of 1998. In 1995 I went on a life-changing journey to Slovakia with my parents to find the family and home that my father had left behind 43 years earlier,” explained Bryan. “The dream of making this artwork was born as I recognized that everyone has a story to tell, each culture has a unique beauty and our past experiences and values inform who we are today. The sense of belonging was something I didn’t have as my missionary parents were always moving as they served in different places. Research has indicated that next to food and shelter, a sense of belonging is the greatest human need. In this quilt of humaity, each person can experience a sense of belonging and find a place in the overall design.”
All 263 blocks are individually designed to reflect each group’s culture. In order to create the blocks, Bryan and a team of volunteers tracked down representatives for each First Nation, Inuit and Métis group in Canada as well as all world cultures since every world nation is represented in Canada’s cultural mosaic
Finding individuals or groups to represent the different cultural backgrounds was no easy feat.
“It took us about six and a half years to find Canadian representatives from so many cultures,” said Bryan. “Thousands of calls, media apprearances, letters and countless visits were made to organizations, immigration centres, native bands, churches, embassies, and individual contacts – in short every possible source was considered.”
Once blockmakers were found, volunteers assisted them with materials, design and sewing expertise. Countless hours of research supplied information on design, fabrics and techniques and provided the historical, cultural context from which to make the artwork. The individual stories were collected for books, website and documentary.
The results speak for themselves. With every culture represented, anyone can find themselves in Quilt of Belonging. Each block is 9-inch diamond and has its own story to tell. Find out about each individual block on the Quilt’s website.
So which of the 263 blocks is Esther Bryan’s favourite?
“I have many favourites, each for different reasons,” says Bryan excitedly. “ Slovakia because it honours my Dad and teaches me about roots I knew nothing about, France because that is where I grew up and because the needlepoint is exquisite, boasting 1600 stitches per square inch, Central African Republic because of its delicate butterfly wings and the poignancy of making art, sometimes to sell for food, from such a fragile element, Northern Ireland because the pulled thread work is so fine and Catholics and Protestants worked together to make this block on Belfast linen, and then the First Nations which are so beautiful with beadwork and sealskin, porcupine quills and eagles’ feathers, each with their own touching stories….I just love them all.”
Come find yourself in the Quilt. Quilt of Belonging will be on display at Ottawa City Hall daily from June 23 to July 5, 2017. Volunteers will be available to answer questions daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca or call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401). You can also connect with us through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
查看原文...
Esther Bryan came up with the idea for Quilt of Belonging, realizing that every person and every nation has a story to tell―there is a place for all in the human tapestry.
“I began Quilt of Belonging in the fall of 1998. In 1995 I went on a life-changing journey to Slovakia with my parents to find the family and home that my father had left behind 43 years earlier,” explained Bryan. “The dream of making this artwork was born as I recognized that everyone has a story to tell, each culture has a unique beauty and our past experiences and values inform who we are today. The sense of belonging was something I didn’t have as my missionary parents were always moving as they served in different places. Research has indicated that next to food and shelter, a sense of belonging is the greatest human need. In this quilt of humaity, each person can experience a sense of belonging and find a place in the overall design.”
All 263 blocks are individually designed to reflect each group’s culture. In order to create the blocks, Bryan and a team of volunteers tracked down representatives for each First Nation, Inuit and Métis group in Canada as well as all world cultures since every world nation is represented in Canada’s cultural mosaic
Finding individuals or groups to represent the different cultural backgrounds was no easy feat.
“It took us about six and a half years to find Canadian representatives from so many cultures,” said Bryan. “Thousands of calls, media apprearances, letters and countless visits were made to organizations, immigration centres, native bands, churches, embassies, and individual contacts – in short every possible source was considered.”
Once blockmakers were found, volunteers assisted them with materials, design and sewing expertise. Countless hours of research supplied information on design, fabrics and techniques and provided the historical, cultural context from which to make the artwork. The individual stories were collected for books, website and documentary.
The results speak for themselves. With every culture represented, anyone can find themselves in Quilt of Belonging. Each block is 9-inch diamond and has its own story to tell. Find out about each individual block on the Quilt’s website.
So which of the 263 blocks is Esther Bryan’s favourite?
“I have many favourites, each for different reasons,” says Bryan excitedly. “ Slovakia because it honours my Dad and teaches me about roots I knew nothing about, France because that is where I grew up and because the needlepoint is exquisite, boasting 1600 stitches per square inch, Central African Republic because of its delicate butterfly wings and the poignancy of making art, sometimes to sell for food, from such a fragile element, Northern Ireland because the pulled thread work is so fine and Catholics and Protestants worked together to make this block on Belfast linen, and then the First Nations which are so beautiful with beadwork and sealskin, porcupine quills and eagles’ feathers, each with their own touching stories….I just love them all.”
Come find yourself in the Quilt. Quilt of Belonging will be on display at Ottawa City Hall daily from June 23 to July 5, 2017. Volunteers will be available to answer questions daily from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
For more information on City programs and services, visit ottawa.ca or call 3-1-1 (TTY: 613-580-2401). You can also connect with us through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
查看原文...
