QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-5689

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Quilts and Human Rights; South Africa Quilt History Project; The Black Diaspora Quilt History Project

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

10.0181

If this quilt is owned by a museum, enter the accession number:

2010:123.1

Object label:

Xenophobia Memory Cloth
Cynthia Msibi
Newcastle, KWAZulu-Natal, South Africa
2010
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#2010:123.1

Essay:

Cynthia Msibi is a member of the Isiphethu (a Zulu word meaning “Fountain”) group. The Isiphethu began in l999 when a group of women from Madadeni and Osizweni came together to embroider appliqué images for a Woman’s Day project organized by the Carnegie Art Gallery, Newcastle. This project inspired the women to continue creating and a workshop program was launched in 2000. The group continues to work under the umbrella of the gallery and is encouraged to attend mentorship programs where business development and quality control are discussed. They have exhibited nationally and internationally and won many awards.

This quilt depicts a rally outside a supermarket with people protesting foreigners. There are police with dogs and police cars helping protect people from an angry crowd. The artist describes it this way:
Here people are seen being rescued by the police after the angry community members attacked them, here the shops have been closed because they've been broker into. And women and their children have ran to the police for some help as the other community members approaches. The police tried so hard to calm the situation as the members of the community are angry saying that the foreigners are taking their jobs from them causing them to be poor so they must be sent back to wherever they are coming from.

Quilt's title:

Xenophobia Memory Cloth

Subject of the quilt:

xenophobia

Quilt top made by:

Msibi, Cynthia

If you are the quilt owner, how did you acquire this quilt?

Received as a gift

Where the quilt was made, city:

Newcastle

Where the quilt was made, province:

KWAZulu-Natal

Where the quilt was made, country:

South Africa

Time period:

2000-2025

When was the quilt finished?

2010

Why was the quilt made?

Commemorative; Personal income

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's city:

Newcastle

Quiltmaker's country:

South Africa

Does/did the quiltmaker sell quilts?

yes

Does/did the quiltmaker belong to a group? Name of the group?

Isiphethu (a Zulu word meaning fountain)

Where does/did the group meet?

Newcastle, South Africa.

What are the main activities of the group?

Isiphethu (a Zulu word meaning “Fountain”) began in l999 when a group of women from Madadeni and Osizweni came together to embroider appliqué images for a Woman’s Day project organized by the Carnegie Art Gallery, Newcastle. This project inspired the women to continue creating and a workshop program was launched in 2000. The group continues to work under the umbrella of the gallery and is encouraged to attend mentorship programs where business development and quality control are discussed. They have exhibited nationally and internationally and won many awards. Not only has this project earned the women income but it has given them a voice. They embroider stories of their communal heritage, legends, historical incidents and daily activities. Each woman creates her own design, chooses her own subject, and decides on the colors to fashion fabric ‘storybooks’. Their wall-hangings and tapestries are sold in the Carnegie Art Galleryand are sought after by locals and visitors alike.

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

12 1/2"

How long is the quilt?

16 3/4"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Black; Blue; Green; Red; Yellow; White

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Type of inscription:

Signature; Message

What is inscribed on the quilt?

isiphethu Original African Creations Hand Embroidered & Made in South Africa Cynthia

Method used to make the inscription:

Embroidery

Location of inscription:

on border

Describe the quilt's layout:

Wholecloth

Number of quilt blocks:

1

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Piecing

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Hand Applique

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Attachments (beading, charms, buttons, etc); Embroidery

Embellishments used:

Cotton thread

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

How is the binding made?

Edges turned in/ no separate binding

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

No filling

How are the layers held together?

Not quilted

Features or notes about the quilt's appearance, materials, or construction:

Embroidery and appliqué on the cloth depict a rally outside a supermarket with people protesting foreigners. There are police with dogs and police cars helping protect people from an angry crowd. Here people are seen being rescued by the police after the angry community members attacked them, here the shops have been closed because they've been broker into. And women and their children have ran to the police for some help as the other community members approaches. The police tried so hard to calm the situation as the members of the community are angry saying that the foreigners are taking their jobs from them causing them to be poor so they must be sent back to wherever they are coming from.

Where did the maker find their pattern?

Original to maker

Source of the information on this quilt:

Museum employee

Ownership of this quilt is:

Public- Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's name:

Michigan State University Museum

Quilt owner's city:

East Lansing

Quilt owner's county:

Ingham

Quilt owner's state:

Michigan (MI)

Quilt owner's country:

United States

How was this quilt acquired?

Purchase

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

Who photographed this quilt?

Pearl Yee Wong

Copyright holder:

MSU Board of Trustees