If the country were a true democracy, one stitch would equal one vote. Instead, gerrymandering—the distortion of geographical boundaries to favor one political party over another—has warped the seams.
The quilt metaphor is a potent one, says Martin Strickland, director of Saint Joseph's Arts Society, whose politically charged new exhibition, Packing and Cracking: The Art of (and Response to) Gerrymandering, opens this week.
“In this context, quilting becomes this responsive, dynamic art form that equates the humanity of a hand-stitched quilt with an unmarked ballot. It becomes a comment on what people lose when their communities are not given the representation they deserve.”
Inspired by renowned San Francisco art director Rich Silverstein, the exhibition’s title, Packing and Cracking, refers to how gerrymandering functions, packing people together to consolidate power or cracking them apart to dilute it. The show brings together more than 40 works of textile art by 13 Bay Area artists, placing them strategically throughout the ethereal former church that’s home to the Saint Joseph's Arts Society.
Each piece is a unique response to the current political climate. Included among them are two works from Michoacán-born interdisciplinary artist Arleene Correa Valencia’s series I Have to Have Good Memories, in which she uses embroidery, domestic fabrics, and fragments of clothing from her own family to explore the status of undocumented immigrants and the trauma of family separation.
Oakland-based Adia Millett uses the medium to craft the life-sized “armor” of her sculptural Quilt Air Warriors, referencing a past in which quilting and crafting formed a foundation for communities of Black women whose artistry remained unrecognized until recently.
Quilting pioneer Joe Cunningham’s contributions are, in part, “about how both art and politics can either amplify or silence voices,” says Strickland. Two pieces made in 2015 explore the Russian annexation of Crimea. A third, Crazy City Flint made in 2016, addresses the Michigan city’s water rights controversy. Despite having been made almost a decade ago, both are still ongoing hotbeds of politics and activism today.
“As we move closer to the election, everything about it becomes more charged every day,” Strickland continues. “Looking at the term gerrymandering through the lens of art allows for collective gathering so people can talk about issues that are important to them without a context of division, but rather as an invitation for participation.”
The exhibition is accompanied by a diverse array of programming geared toward fostering that collectivity: Look for “How Gerrymandering Impacts California Politics,” a panel discussion between Silverstein and Manny Yekutiel, moderated by award-winning New York Times journalist Laura Holson on September 30; and a demonstration with the Social Justice Sewing Academy on October 26. On election day November 5, the society will host a community gathering at which they’ll offer make-and-take projects and free coffee for anyone with an “I Voted” sticker.
“My hope is that the exhibition will be an intergenerational space for learning, where people can feel like they can be a part of something that’s bigger than just themselves,” says Strickland. “In this time of intense political discourse, we really want this, and the Saint Joseph's Arts Society, to be a place to foster community and innovation.”
// Packing and Cracking: The Art of (and Response to) Gerrymanderingruns September 17 through December 16 at Saint Joseph's Arts Society, 1401 Howard St. (SoMa), saintjosephartsfoundation.org.
