Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) Presents "Soulful Stitching: Patchwork Quilts by Africans (Siddis) in India"

SAN FRANCISCO, June 23, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Stunning, colorful, patchwork quilts known as kawandi and made only by craftswomen living in the little known Siddi communities of Africans in India will be on display at the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) as part of its exploration of how traditional practices are adapted over decades throughout the African Diaspora.  The exhibition presents over 30 quilts of a variety of styles and techniques and also the compelling story of the Siddis, descendants of East African slaves, sailors and merchants who currently live in the highlands of the Karantaka and Goa regions on the western coast of the Indian subcontinent. 

Now Siddi quilts are being seen outside India for the first time, and are coming to San Francisco.

"Soulful Stitching: Patchwork Quilts by Africans (Siddis) in India" opens at the Museum of African Diaspora Friday, July 15, 2011. The traveling exhibition consisting of 32 quilts will be on view until September 18, 2011. An Opening Reception with complimentary admission will be held on Friday, July 15.

"Soulful Stitching" is co-curated by Dr. Henry J. Drewal, Evjue-Bascom Professor of African and African Diaspora Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and by Dr. Sarah K. Khan, Director of the Tasting Cultures Foundation. The quilts in the exhibition were made by members of the nonprofit Siddi Women's Quilting Cooperative, which is keeping this tradition vibrant.

"It's fascinating to note that while they have adopted some cultural aspects of Indian society,  for decades the Siddis have also retained, transformed and passed on from generation to generation certain distinct cultural and artistic traditions from Africa," said Grace C. Stanislaus, MoAD's Executive Director.

Opening Reception (complimentary admission): Friday, July 15, 2011

MoAD Patrons: 5:30 pm, MoAD Members/Press: 6:30 pm, Public: 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm

Related Program (partial)

LECTURE | Sewing and Sowing: The Arts and Life of Africans (Siddis) in India| Sunday, July 24

Available for Interviews: Co-curators Dr. Henry J. Drewal, Evjue-Bascom Professor of African and African Diaspora Arts at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and by Dr. Sarah K. Khan, Director of the Tasting Cultures Foundation

About the Museum of the African Diaspora

The Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) showcases the history, art and the cultural richness that resulted from the dispersal of Africans throughout the world with innovative and engaging exhibitions, education and public programs. Incorporated in 2002 as a 501(c) (3) nonprofit, MoAD opened its doors in 2005 in space contiguous with the St. Regis Hotel and Residences and in the historic Williams Building at 685 Mission Street at Third. MoAD was conceived as a cornerstone of the revitalization of downtown San Francisco, and has become an anchor with its neighbors, the San Francisco MoMA, the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Zeum, and the Contemporary Jewish Museum, making this dynamic cultural corridor a premier destination.

Museum of the African Diaspora

685 Mission Street (at Third), San Francisco, CA 94105 | www.moadsf.org | 415.358.7200

Museum Hours

Wednesday–Saturday: 11:00 am–6:00 pm | Sunday 12:00–5:00 pm | Monday–Tuesday: CLOSED

Admission Prices

General Admission $10; Students and Seniors $5; Members and Children 12 and under w/adult FREE

MoAD is easily accessible by Muni, BART, Golden Gate Transit, SamTrans, and Caltrain. Hourly, daily, and monthly parking is available within 1 – 2 blocks of the museum.

Contact: Michael DeFlorimonte
michaelD. Communications
[email protected]
415.203.9801

SOURCE Museum of the African Diaspora

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