Kindred Spirits Quilt Show – Durham, NC

As part of Kindred Spirits: A Convergence of African American Quilters conference, we are having a quilt show on June 16, 6:00-9:00 pm, during Durham’s Third Friday celebration of Juneteenth.

The show’s theme is Deconstructing the Mammy Archetype. The Mammy archetype is a stereotypical portrayal of Black women in American popular culture. It is a caricature of a nurturing, maternal figure who is often depicted as overweight, asexual, and happily serving white people. The Mammy stereotype has been used to justify the enslavement and subjugation of Black women and has been perpetuated through various forms of media.

Modern African American quilt work provides an avenue for deconstructing the Mammy archetype. Quilting has long been a form of creative expression for African American women, and in recent years, many Black artists have used the medium to challenge and subvert racist stereotypes.

By incorporating imagery and symbolism that directly confront the Mammy archetype, African American quilt makers are able to reframe the narrative and reclaim their own agency. For example, some artists have created quilts that depict Black women as strong and independent, rather than subservient and obedient. Others have used quilting to celebrate the beauty and diversity of Black women’s bodies, challenging the notion that Black women must conform to Eurocentric beauty standards.

Overall, modern African American quilt work offers a powerful means of deconstructing the Mammy archetype and challenging the ways in which Black women have been historically misrepresented in American culture. By using the medium of quilting to tell their own stories and celebrate their own experiences, Black women are able to reclaim narratives and assert their own agency.

Location: The Fruit, 305 S Dillard St., Durham

Cost: Free. All are welcome.