The Skin Quilt Project, is a documentary that explores colorism in the African-American community through the stories of African-American quilters, and the artform that was passed down through generations to celebrate its culture. The quilters featured in the film speak of the influence of the African American quilting tradition in encouraging an appreciation for African-American cultural heritage.
Colorism has been a long disputed issue within the African-American community, however, filmmaker, Lauren Cross, speculates that African-American quilters are much more grounded in their African roots, and as quilt historian Carolyn Mazloomi states ” we joined by the thread of a needle” leaving no room the “color-complex.”
As many African-American quilters come from the families of quilters who’ve passed down quilting techniques to their children and grandchildren, today’s quilters represent African-American men and women who have become concerned with telling the story of their cultural heritage. In The Skin Quilt Project, quilters tell the story of skin color politics in African-American culture, yet realizing the power of quilting to empower self-confidence their community.
About the Artist:
Lauren Cross is a writer, activist, and interdisciplinary artist working in mixed media, photography, media arts, and installation art. Her current research interests include the issues of colorism and the “color complex” within the African American community, and her current work addresses ideals of beauty, race, and skin complexion in media imagery. She is also the founder and editor of CVAAD Projects( www.cvaad.com), an online blog and resource for contemporary visual art of the African diaspora. She received her BA in Art, Design, and Media from Richmond, The American International University in London, England, and she is a MFA in Visual Arts candidate at the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University, Cambridge, MA. She currently teaches at Stonehill College, Easton, MA.
For more information,
please contact us at:
info@skinquiltproject.com
On the set of The Skin Quilt Project with Dr. Midge Wilson, Professor of Psychology and Associate Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences at DePaul University(Chicago, IL), quilter Mrs. Auian Ward featuring her beautiful wealth of quilts(Houston, Texas), and artist Carolyn Crump in the studio( Houston, Texas).
Photo credits:
Photos of Mrs. Auian Ward and Carolyn Crump by Lauren Cross
Photos of Dr. Midge Wilson by Jewelette Christopher
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