Quilt exhibit reflects life in Oakland then and now
February 8, 2016 •
If you work in downtown Oakland, don’t miss the chance to see a very special exhibit called Neighborhoods Coming Together: Quilts Around Oakland.
A Day at the Lake by Carolyn Pope
Developed by the African American Quilt Guild of Oakland (AAQGO), this citywide project involves creating quilts about people, the environment, history, business, culture and other aspects of life in Oakland. Over 100 quilts have been made by AAQGO and community members, and quilt workshops have been conducted in schools, community centers and nonprofit organizations.
This fascinating project was the subject of a recent New York Times article highlighting the unusual use of quilts to depict historical and contemporary events such as the Oakland hills firestorm of 1991 and the Black Lives Matter movement. Other quilts in the exhibit portray local landmarks like Lake Merritt and Mills College.
The quilts can be seen on the following dates at these Oakland locations:
Feb. 1 to 29 at Oakland City Hall Rotunda Gallery, 1 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza
Feb. 16 at Laney College Library, 900 Fallon St.
March 3 to April 30 at Joyce Gordon Gallery, 406 14th St.
April 1 to May 30 at Women’s Cancer Resource Center, 5741 Telegraph Ave.
May 27 to Aug. 12 at Board of Supervisors Gallery, Alameda County Administration Building, 1221 Oak St.
Trailblazers by Marion Coleman
Another great place to learn about Oakland history and to see some fascinating old photos and exhibits is the African-American Museum and Library on 14th. It’s a short walk from here and worth the time!