Blocks and Strips Quilt (detail), 2003, by Irene Williams (American, 1920–2015), 2017-229-11. © Estate of Irene Williams/Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York
    If you’re passing through Philly any time between now and September 2, Tory’s hometown, stop by the Philadelphia Museum of Art to see Souls Grown Deep: Artists of the African American South. The exhibit celebrates the museum’s recent acquisition of 24 works from the Souls Grown Deep Foundation – a stunning collection of mixed media paintings, large-scale sculptures and bold textiles. Created by generations of expert quilters from Gee’s Bend, Alabama, the quilts are made from old clothing and salvaged materials, rooted in the history of this region. The show is a bold and provocative nod to a unique history through the eyes of African American artists with deep ties to the American South. The daring melding of prints, forms, colors and stories by artists such as Lonnie Holley and Bessie Harvey makes the exhibit a truly memorable one.

Flying Geese Variation Quilt, c. 1935, by Annie E. Pettway (American, 1904–71), 2017-229-5. © Estate of Annie E. Pettway; Housetop Quilt – Fractured Medallion Variation, c. 1955. Delia Bennett, American, 1892 – 1976. Estate of Delia Bennett/Artists Rights Society.
Souls Grown Deep is on view at The Philadelphia Museum of Art until September 2, 2019.

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