Kith & Kin: the Quilts of Gee’s Bend Exhibition

Open from 14 February – 21 June 2026

Kith & Kin: the Quilts of Gee’s Bend, celebrates the extraordinary work of a group of African American women from a remote river island community in Alabama which embodies a 200-year tradition of making quilts that hold both profound artistic and political significance.  

Co-organised by the Irish Museum of Modern Art/IMMA, Dublin and Souls Grown Deep, USA (a non-profit organisation dedicated to the recognition and empowerment of Black artists from the American South) this is the only showing of the exhibition in the UK.

With skills and traditions passed down primarily from mother to daughter, the women of Gee’s Bend have created quilts that are renowned for their improvisational style, bold colours, and abstract designs, often compared to modernist art movements like abstract expressionism.

Focusing on the quilts of mothers and daughters Mary Lee Bendolph (b.1935) and Essie Bendolph Pettway (b.1956), Rita Mae Pettway (b.1941) and Louisiana P. Bendolph (b.1960), Qunnie Pettway (1943–2010) and Loretta Pettway Bennett (b.1960) and Qunnie Pettway’s sister Sally Mae Pettway Mixon (b.1965), the exhibition highlights their connections and intergenerational relationships as seen through the distinct styles, patterns and colours.

Politically and historically, the quilts reflect resilience and self-sufficiency, as they were born out of necessity in an economically deprived, racially segregated region. The civil rights movement brought attention to these women, who became symbols of Black empowerment and cultural pride.

The quilts serve as both a celebration of African American heritage and a testament to the strength and creativity of women in the face of systemic oppression. This exhibition aims to recognise their invaluable contribution to art, and to ensure that their legacy continues to inspire and enrich future generations.

Tickets

Admission to this special exhibition is included in general admission tickets for the American Museum & Gardens, which gives entry to the museum, exhibition, gardens, American Garden Deli and gallery shop.

Get 10% off admission by buying tickets online – simply use the code DISCOUNT10 at checkout. Please make sure you select the date when you are going to visit after clicking the link below.

About the exhibition

Kith & Kin: the Quilts of Gee’s Bend is organised in collaboration with the Irish Museum of Modern Art/IMMA, Dublin. The exhibition is curatored and initiated by Mary Cremin, Head of Programming, and Georgie Thompson, Assistant Curator, IMMA, in association with Raina Lampkins-Fielder, Chief Curator, Souls Grown Deep, featuring quilts on loan from Souls Grown Deep, Alison Jacques and a private collection.