The first of the arthur+martha “history” quilts, describing lives that are often overlooked in words and stitches. Here are fragments of stories. These are the lives of people who’ve experienced homelessness. These stories are embroidered onto quilts and painted by the tellers themselves. They worked in collaboration with artists Lois Blackburn and poet Philip Davenport.
They are responses to simple questions – which don’t have simple answers. When were you warm? When were you cold? Created out of denim fabric, the quilt is made of denim from recycled pairs of jeans – twenty-seven in all.
This project was part of the ongoing partnership between arthur+martha and The Booth Centre. This partnership resulted in a decade of collaborations with the homeless community in Manchester. The quilt was the first of the arthur+martha “history quilts.” It combined words and embroidery. This combination created collaborative histories made by many hands.
The project challenged stereotypes about homelessness. It worked to combat hate crime against homeless people. The project also emphasised needs shared by us all, especially shelter and acceptance.
Philip: “The quilts are traditional. They also represent warmth, hospitality, and the home. The stories they tell are preserved through touch. It’s a very ancient ritual we’ve tapped into, the passing on of personal histories.”
Lines from the denim quilt appeared as text animations by the BBC. They were displayed on Big Screens in Manchester and Liverpool in November and December 2012.
In partnership with The Booth Centre and The Big Issue in the North. Supported by Arts Council England
Participants
160 Homeless participants, 22 student participants
Audience
Live and online: 1.9 million
Exhibited at
2017 Manchester Central Library. Audience approx 57,000
2013 Summerhall, Edinburgh (As part of The Dark Would). Audience 2000
2012/13 Holden Gallery, Manchester. Audience 1000
2012/13 BBC Big Screens, Liverpool and Manchester. Audience approx 1,800,000
More information
On-line audience 9000
On-line portfolio https://www.flickr.com
Lois Blackburn 