Exhibit Info
This Exhibition Is No Longer Showing
Title:
HerStory in Stitches: Quilts by the Princeton Sankofa Stitchers Modern Quilt Guild (PSSMQG)
Dates:
January 12 – March 30, 2022
Location:
Reading Room and other locations on second floor
About the Artist
Artist Bio
Quilts are a form of storytelling and a means of capturing history as is evident from the quilts on display in this group exhibit. The Princeton Sankofa Stitchers Modern Quilt Guild (PSSMQG) was formed in late 2015 by a group of African American women who began getting together casually to quilt and to share information about the craft. As the group grew they decided to formalize and become an official guild. Members of the group decided to call the guild Sankofa Stitchers to reflect its identity as a group that worked with African and African American fabrics, designs, and cultural experiences. The group also added “Princeton” to its name to honor their start in Princeton, to recognize resident members, and to make it easier to find the group on social media.
The name of the guild is derived from “Sankofa [SAN (return), KO (go), FA (look, seek and take)] is a symbol used by the Akan people of Ghana to represent the idea of reaching back to the past to acquire knowledge that has been lost in order to make progress in the present. The idea of Sankofa is represented either by a bird with its head turned backwards while its feet face forward carrying a precious egg in its mouth, or with a stylized heart shape. Sankofa is often associated with the proverb, “Se wo were fi na wosankofa a yenkyi,” which translates as: “It is not taboo to fetch what is at risk of being left behind.” Sankofa Stitchers believes strongly in the idea that learning from the past serves as a guide in planning and securing a strong future. The group’s motto is “Each one, Teach one.”
Artist Statement
Mission Statement of the PSSMQG:
Sankofa, in the language of the Twi people of Ghana, translates to “Return and get it,” and the name was chosen to represents the Guild’s mission to learn from the past as we bring forward the love of quilting as expressed by the expert quilter to the novice quilter, and the young quilter to the elder quilter. The Guild shall provide an atmosphere of fellowship, stimulate an interest in modern quilt making, educate its members, provide for the interchange of information, and encourage community giving for all persons interested in the art and craft of quilt making and related arts.