Saumum saman Ísland (Stitching Iceland Together) is the title of an exhibition opening at Borgarbókasafnið Spöngin (Reykjavík City Library - Spöngin) on Saturday 5 September at 1 pm. The exhibition presents the results of a social project in which more than 100 Reykjavík residents came together to sew one large patchwork quilt.
The project, which took a year to complete, took place at Borgarbókasafnið (Reykjavík City Library) and Sjóminjasafnið (the Reykjavík Maritime Museum). Patchwork is generally intended as a way of reusing and recycling textile scraps, while personal stories and cultural identity are expressed visually through colours and patterns. The quilt on display was made entirely from old bed linen, which was repurposed as material for the artwork.
People from a wide range of backgrounds contributed to the artwork
The project brought together a variety of participants with the aim of connecting generations of native-born and immigrant Icelanders - including Íslenska bútasaumsfélagið (the Icelandic Patchwork Association), the Saumó sewing group (a group of refugee women in Iceland), Borgarsögusafn Reykjavíkur (Reykjavík City Museum) and Borgarbókasafn Reykjavíkur (Reykjavík City Library), Textílfélag Íslands (the Icelandic Textile Association), and students from Myndlistaskólinn í Reykjavík (the Reykjavík School of Visual Arts).
A limited-edition book about the project will be on sale at the opening.
Christalena Hughmanick, who led the project, grew up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in the United States, where she learned about patchwork from Amish people living nearby.
The exhibition runs from 5 to 26 September, and everyone is welcome.
