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Hawaiian Quilt Masterpieces by Robert Shaw from The Museum for Textiles' Newsletter The individual quilts and their stories send the reader to the book's Introduction which gives essential background for seeing what lies behind the enormous, almost overwhelming, visual images. I longed for such information when, all unawares, I was startled by quilts on display in Hawaii. Many of the bold appliqué designs reflect the luxuriant tropical plants and creatures of the Hawaiian islands, and the spirit of natural objects is expressed through formalized design. In others, the design reflects the people's beloved national symbols, as national identity struggled for life against great power domination and absorption. The life of the people and the land they live in is part of these quilts, as it is also for many North American quilt makers. Shaw says that an "intimate, personal and spiritual relationship with the natural world . . . lies at the heart of the Hawaiian quilts." (p.15). It has taken time for me to see the quilts as expressing the personal and social experience of the makers, rather than simply as decorative masterpieces, and this book has helped me. The appliqué designs are cut from folded fabric in a way similar to European decorative folded paper cut designs. On the face of the quilt the textured surface created by quilting complements the appliqué. The quilt back, without colour, reveals a complex three-dimensional design of stitching. Flag and other political quilts are mostly from the period at the end of the 19th century when the islands passed from independence to dependence and then annexation. They use national symbols with a freedom which suggests to me a deeply felt identity with the nation which was disappearing. Contacts with people from many parts of the world after 1778, and the new ways of life that they brought, changed and decimated the population. What we know as the Hawaiian quilt combines earlier sensibilities with newer ones and continues today as a living tradition. Some of the contemporary quilt artists included are developing new designs and techniques. Older Hawaiian quilts, and many modern ones, have been made as gifts for a family member or loved person, and carry the maker's spirit and feeling. "Quilt making was, above all else, an act of love" (p.15) and the name of the quilt may express a personal meaning unknown to other people. Modern artists represented in the book talk about this in describing their work. Hawaiian Quilt Masterpieces is at once a beautiful coffee-table book and a substantial account of a distinctive textile tradition. It is well worth reading. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ The distinctive folded and cutout Hawaiian appliqué quilts look like giant snowflakes, and no two are alike. Their designs are loosely based on indigenous flora and are enhanced by the distinctive, undulating contour hand quilting. In addition to patriotic flag quilts, unusual pieced quilts, a crazy quilt with a message, there are also examples of kappa moe, early bark-cloth bed covers. Although I do have a quibble or two with statements pertaining to mainland quilt history, Shaw has captured the true spirit of Hawaiian quilts and their makers. He discusses historical misconceptions and explains how ongoing research constantly brings forth new facts to explore and ponder. Each quilt is shown flat in full color, with accompanying information about the quiltmaker (when known) and historical background information. There are no patterns or specific how-to instructions, but there are explanations of the techniques and design processes. I wish there had been an afterword. I needed someone to applaud this lovely book with me when there were no more pages left to turn, and perhaps to say "Aloha" and send me gently back to my real life. A resource list would have allowed me to continue the adventure. The author describes Hawaiian quilts as capturing all the qualities of the islands: "They are ambassadors of the islands, created out of love for these unique lands and between the people who live on them." Don't miss this opportunity to take an armchair journey to Hawaii to explore these quilt masterpieces. from Library Journal, 04/15/1997: First brought to the islands by missionaries and traders in the late 19th century, quilting in Hawaii adapted to the physical and cultural environment of the islands to become a distinctive art form. The earliest quilt in this collection of Hawaiian masterworks dates from 1874 and the most recent from 1995. Following the format of his earlier Quilts: A Living Tradition (LJ 2/1/96), Shaw includes a detailed color photograph, a historical introduction, and a critique for each of the 48 quilts. Essential for textile history collections. Publisher's Note: |
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