V&A Quilts 1700-2010

The exhibition took six years of research of the V&A's own collection as well as organizing loans and commissions from contemporary artists, which are embedded throughout the exhibition within the five themes.

1. The Domestic Landscape
   The highlight is the opening exhibit of the 1730-50 patchwork set of chintz bed hangings; the only surviving set in a public collection. This was made by underprivileged London school children and has 6,500 individual patches.
   
2. Private Thoughts; Political Debates
   This covers important social and political events in the 19th century such as military victories and coronations.
   My favorite piece was Joanna Sothcott's Coverlet from 1808 as she, apparently, used her own hair to sew the central inscription to curse King George III.
   
3. Virtue and Virtuosity
   This includes more unusual examples and several quilts made by men.
   Look out for Grayson Perry's Right to Life which has an ornate patten of foetuses to provoke debate about abortion.
   
4. Making a Living
   A focus on quilting groups such as the Women's Institute (WI).
   I liked the Pyjama coverlet made in Belfast in the 1940s from stripy pyjama textiles.
   
5. Meeting the Past
   The final section looks at quilts made as an act of remembrance and includes a quilt made in Wandsworth Prison (London) in 2009.
   Also, you'll see the enormous Rajah Quilt (1841) made by women convicts aboard a ship bound for Australia.
   The final piece is Tracy Emin's To Meet My Past (2002).

Quilts 1700-2010 is a much larger exhibition than I was expecting and is spread across two V&A galleries. (You think you've seen it all, then you get the same again and more when you enter the next room.)

When you enter you see the wonderful chintz bed hangings from 1700s which is a feminine start as quilting is certainly more popular with women. It was a shame they chose to paint the walls baby pink as I felt this spoilt the strength of the artwork on display, almost belittling it to 'women's work'. In the Virtue and Virtuosity section there was a patronising description stating "women were often highly innovative and inventive..." as this was a surprise.

The first gallery has the first two themes and an annoying video of needles that makes the noise of a chain being dragged at a volume too loud for the small screen.

Crossing over to the second gallery was a relief although the quilts in the first gallery were more intricate and worthy of more time.

The exhibits have been displayed well, often with the opportunity to view from different sides, and the lighting has been well-thought out.

Shop
V&A Fabrics and Liberty Art Fabrics have collaborated to produce a collection of 18 limited edition printed cottons that you can buy in the shop, along with lots of other quilting goodies and exhibition-themed merchandise.

Events
There are Museum Events associated with this exhibition and many are free.

Venue: V&A (Victoria and Albert Museum), South Kensington.

Dates: 20 March to 4 July 2010

Tickets: £10 Adults
Book Online

Official Website: www.vam.ac.uk