Masters of the Stitch: Threaded Stories Exhibition at Claire Oliver Gallery

Claire Oliver Gallery in Harlem presents 'Masters of the Stitch: Threaded Stories,' an exhibition of narrative quilts by Black Americans drawn from the collection of Carolyn Mazloomi, founder of the Women of Color Quilters Network. The show features 12 artists including Sharon Kerry-Harlan, Donna Chambers, Marion Coleman, Kathy Nida, Wendell Brown, Viola Leak, Michael Cummings, and Peggie Hartwell. Works range from Kerry-Harlan's abstracted patterns of Black faces to Chambers' celebration of Barack Obama's inauguration. The exhibition positions Black quiltmaking as fine art, historical archive, and cultural testimony, aiming to secure its place in the American art canon. Themes include childhood memories, the COVID-19 pandemic, and civil rights actions like the Freedom Train. The show runs through August 8 in Harlem.