Celebrating a National Treasure: Carolyn L. Mazloomi
Later this month, Textile Center will present "Stitching Black Legacy: The Quilts of Carolyn Mazloomi," the largest solo exhibition of her work ever shown under one roof.
How does one describe the extraordinary Carolyn L. Mazloomi? In my eyes, she is a national treasure. No one has done more to champion African American quilters and the role narrative quilts play in our national discourse.
She eloquently states on her website (carolynlmazloomi.com): “The visual and metaphorical links between textiles and human beings are fertile ground for narrative quilts as statement. Every human being in the world has a ‘cradle to grave’ relationship with textiles. Quilts articulate a powerful language of familiarity through which they may speak to and about our experience as human beings.”
Later this month, Textile Center’s galleries will showcase 20 of her most recent works — presenting the largest solo exhibition ever of Carolyn’s work under one roof. We are proud to present Stitching Black Legacy: The Quilts of Carolyn Mazloomi, which will be on view through July 12, 2025.
Like so many artists, Carolyn has devoted much of her career to mentoring and inspiring hundreds, if not thousands, of artists — always putting them ahead of her own creative endeavors. Fortunately for us, she carved out time in her frenetic schedule over the past two years to focus on her artistry. “I’m heading back to the studio,” she told me a few years ago, “and I have a lot to say!” When she asked if Textile Center would be interested in a solo show, our answer was a resounding “Yes!”
“I am drawn to vulnerable people – the disenfranchised, dispossessed outsiders,” Carolyn adds in her artist statement. “The injustice and harsh realities of the daily lives of those in need motivate me to create artwork depicting their circumstances. These are people who deserve to be heard, seen, and understood, especially women and children. My intention is to invite the viewer into contemplation and raise awareness concerning issues they may be unfamiliar with.”
The narrative quilts coming our way include Good Trouble II … John Lewis, The Green Book, Mississippi Goddamn: Remembering Mississippi Burning, Emmitt Till: The River Couldn’t Take the Essence of His Soul, Little Rock Nine: Profiles of Courage, and Malcolm X: I’ve Been Changed.
I saw Carolyn and her latest quilts at Claire Oliver Gallery in Harlem, New York, this past September. It was wonderful to be enveloped in her work. Her narratives are powerful, and I can’t wait for you to experience them at Textile Center.
— Karl Reichert, Textile Center Executive Director
