Czech Center New York launched the exhibition "Czech Contemporary Quilt". The opening remarks were presented by Miroslav Konvalina, director of CC NY, Petra Valentová, an artist living in NYC and by Deborah Bingham, President of the New York Metro Mod Quilters Guild. Nanette La Verdiere from SAQA also attended. The evening was spiced up by music performance of Lucie Vítková, singer and accordeonist.
Photo credit © Keith N'Dong
"What is so moving to me, and I hope you have a chance to appreciate this as you view the exhibit, is how these Czech quilters are really pioneers in their craft. Unlike in the US, where we had a national tradition of quilting, in the Czech Republic there were no quilting traditions or local groups in 2000 to support the development of these women as artists. So they traveled and read all they could. They designed and improvised and learned from their materials and from inspiration in the world around them. And now, because of these women and their contemporaries, a national tradition of quilting is being estabilished in the Czech Republic.
"So, on this evening, we recognize and celebrate these women expressing their thoughts, their passions, and their perspectives as true artists through the medium of quilting."
Deborah Semel Bingham, June 30, 2022, Remarks for Opening of Czech Contemporary Quilting, Czech Center New York
