High Point Native Gwendolyn Jones Magee’s Quilt Exhibition Opens at High Point Museum

Posted on December 05, 2014

“Over a Way That With Tears Has Been Watered”

On Friday, December 5, High Point Museum will open its latest exhibition Pieces of the Past: The Art of Gwendolyn Magee, curated by the UNCG Department of History Museum Studies Class of 2015It will feature a number of quilts created by nationally renowned artist Gwendolyn Jones Magee, a High Point native and Woman’s College (now UNC Greensboro) alumna. This project is a part of a broader effort initiated by the Woman’s College Class of 1963 and the UNCG Art Department to bring Magee’s art to the Triad.

Magee’s art brings African American history and culture to life through detailed threadwork, vibrant fabrics and countless hours of research and design. The exhibition interprets six of her quilts, exploring how Magee quilted historic narratives such as slavery, lynching, and the more recent tragedy of Hurricane Katrina. The exhibit also seeks to tie the themes in her art to contemporary issues today and with interactive elements, it is bound to attract families and people of all ages.

To curate this exhibition, the UNCG History Department’s Museum Studies Class of 2015 conducted research on Magee’s artwork and her life. The students also designed the layout and content for the exhibit with the assistance of advising scholars and High Point Museum staff. Pieces of the Past, open until February 18, will feature a number of images of Magee and her work and a video with interviews with the artist and people who worked with her.

“This partnership between the Museum Studies program and the High Point Museum has provided our students with an invaluable, on-the-ground opportunity to learn about how to design, administer and construct museum exhibitions,” Dr. Anne Parsons, assistant professor at UNCG and the project director, said.

With funding and support from the North Carolina Humanities Council, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and High Point Museum, Pieces of the Past will create a public space for visitors to explore African American history and contemporary issues in America, inspiring conversations about the past and present and the importance of art in promoting social awareness.

“The High Point Museum has been interested in doing an exhibit on Gwendolyn Jones Magee for some time, and this partnership with UNCG was the perfect opportunity,” Edith Brady, Museum Director, said. “Even those who grew up with Gwendolyn Jones, as they knew her, may not be aware of the recognition she received as an artist in her adulthood. Her works are colorful and attractive but also very powerful in the emotions they convey.”

The students in the UNCG Museum Studies Class of 2015 will present a program for the High Point Museum Guild Wednesday, February 18 at 10 am.

To learn more about the High Point Museum, call 885-1859 or visit www.highpointmuseum.org.

The High Point Museum is dedicated to sharing Greater High Point’s history, providing perspective for current issues, and strengthening the sense of community. Our work is guided by our core values of connection, diversity, fun, and innovation.

Reposted from the High Point Museum

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