“It is widely understood that the African American contribution to American culture has been crucial, even definitive, in music and dance, and increasingly vital in literature and theater, but not as well appreciated is the Black contribution to visual art forms,” says Renny Pritikin, director of the Nelson. African-American Quilts will be at the Nelson Gallery, Room 124 of the Art Building on the UC Davis campus, from September 24 to December 13, 2009 with an opening reception on October 1, 5:30-7:30 pm.

This exhibition not only contains fine examples of quilts made by former slaves, but also 21st century creations informed by time-honored veins of African-American quilting. Felicenne Ramey of the Nelson Board, with Renny Pritikin, its director, curated the exhibition from the collections of Avis C. Robinson of Washington DC and Sandra McPherson of Davis. Quilts by Avis Robinson hang in The Whitney Museum, The Corcoran and The Washington Post Headquarters. Sandra McPherson, a former English professor at UC Davis, has made a name in the literary world with poetry rooted in quilting traditions.

This exhibition is supported by a gift from the Nehemiah Corporation and is in association with a concurrent exhibition at 40 Acres Art Gallery in Sacramento, Amazing Wonders: Quilts by African American in the Northern California Region, that will run from October 13 until December 23, 2009. For further information and images please contact Katrina Wong at nelsongallery@ucdavis.edu

PLEASE NOTE THE NELSON GALLERY’S NEW HOURS: MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY FROM 11 TO 5, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FROM 2 TO 5, AND FRIDAYS BY APPOINTMENT ONLY.