Quilt of Belonging: The Invitation Project by Esther Bryan and Friends.
The Invitation Project's magnificent Quilt of Belonging is one of the largest collaborative works of textile art to be created on a national scale. With 263 squares representing 71 Indigenous groups and 192 immigrant nationalities found in Canada, the Quilt will prove a lasting testimony to Canada's multicultural heritage and identity.
For this landmark project, each group was invited to produce a handmade block featuring textiles and symbols that represent unique contribution to the Canadian fabric. A small sampling of the media employed by the artists includes abalone shells, amber from Lithuania, bobbin lace, a brooch from Poland, smoked caribou hide, English wool, kente cloth from Ghana, porcupine quills, sealskin, 200-year-old German linen, and worry dolls from Guatemala. Grand in size and purpose, the finished quilt measures 36 metres long by 3.5 metres high.
In the words of Invitation Project coordinator Esther Bryan, "Our vision was to create a collaborative work of art that will recognize Canada's and the world's diversity, celebrate our common humanity, and promote harmony and compassion among people." As this beautiful book so clearly shows, the Quilt of Belonging is a visually stunning and emotionally heartwarming success.
296 pages
English
28cm x 23cm
Invitation Project (2005)
ISBN 9781550464351