Magdalene Wilson (1898–2001), "Broken Star" variation (detail), c. 1925
Cotton, wool, silk, 91 x 85 in.; Currier Museum of Art, Museum purchase and gift of the Souls Grown Deep Foundation
"Star" patterns' inherent boldness meshes well with the creative temperaments of many Gee's Bend quiltmakers. Magdalene Wilson's black-and-white "Broken Star" could not be more clearly defined in its figure-ground relationships. Her materials are humble: the white ground is feed or flour sacks. Gee's Bend quilts from this era often deploy a limited color palette— usually black, blue, or red—popping from the white of the cotton sacks. The haunting power of Wilson's "Broken Star," against the grain of the generally gaily colored "Stars" that prevail throughout the American quilt tradition lies in its restraint. In emptying the quilt of color, Wilson maximized the graphic punch of the inset diamonds.
Here the focus is on the inherent design elements and abstract imagery in the quilts rather than as finished objects.
