QUILT INDEX RECORD

12-8-5725

Who documented this quilt?

Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Quilts and Human Rights; Black Diaspora Quilt History Project; Quilts and Health; Women of Color Quilters Network

Where are the records for this quilt housed?

Michigan State University Museum

Michigan Quilt Project Number:

08.0016

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

2008:157.1

Object label:

Angry Young Men
Marion Coleman
Castro Valley, California
2006
Collection of Michigan State University Museum acc.#2008:157.1

Essay:

Angry Young Men was created as an entry to Breaking Ice: Bay Area Artists Consider the African Diaspora that was part of the San Francisco International Arts Festival in 2007. This piece addresses the racial disparity in the United States criminal justice system. Black on black violence is at extremely high levels and should be a part of the national discussion about gun control, gun violence, joblessness and low graduation levels for African American males. As the mother of an African American male child and a social worker the topic is very important to me. The quilt looks at profiling, gun violence, poor education and children of single parent homes. It questions why would a country would be willing to “throw away” this segment of our society that could be productive and working toward the national good? I was deeply touched by the response of several students at Michigan State University who wrote me when the quilt was exhibited at the university as part of its human rights exhibit. I have found that male students particularly identified with the imagery and content of the quilt. If it continues to promote discussion about the topic then I am very pleased indeed.

--Marion Coleman

Quilt's title:

Angry Young Men

Quilt top made by:

Coleman, Marion

Quilted by:

Coleman, Marion

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

Purchased the quilt

Where the quilt was made, city:

Castro Valley

Where the quilt was made, state:

California (CA)

Where the quilt was made, country:

United States

Time period:

2000-2025

When was the quilt finished?

2006

Why was the quilt made?

Art or personal expression

Quilt is presently used as:

Museum collection

Quiltmaker's gender:

Female

Quiltmaker's city:

Castro Valley

Quiltmaker's state:

California (CA)

Quiltmaker's country:

United States

Quiltmaker's ethnic background/tribal affiliation:

African American

Quiltmaker's spouse's/spouses' and/or partner's/partners' occupation:

Social worker, teaching artist, public artist

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

African American Quilt Guild of Oakland; Women of Color Quilters Network; Studio Art Quilt Associates

This is a:

Finished quilt

How wide is the quilt?

47"

How long is the quilt?

49 1/2"

Shape of edge:

Straight

Shape of corners:

Straight

What color is the quilt?

Black; Gray; Red; Yellow; White

Quilt's condition:

Excellent/like new

Type of inscription:

Message

What is inscribed on the quilt?

Words photo-transfered and strewn over the surface include: Help, Angry, Youth, innocent, education, violence, crime, prison, lack of public will, neglect, poverty, justice, child parents.

Describe the quilt's layout:

Medallion or framed center

Size of quilt blocks:

various

Spacing of quilt blocks:

Other

Describe the quilt setting:

Different sized rectangular blocks, straight stitch machine appliqued over a pieced background.

Fiber types used to make the quilt top:

Cotton; Silk

Describe the fibers or fabrics in the quilt top:

fusing, raw edge applique, stenciling, free motion quilting

Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Piecing

Applique techniques used to make the quilt top:

Machine Applique

Describe the techniques used to make the quilt top:

Fiber collage

Embellishment techniques used to make the quilt top:

Painting

Materials used to make the back:

Cotton

How is the binding made?

Unfinished/raw edge

What kind of filling is used in the quilt?

Polyester

How are the layers held together?

Machine quilting

Describe the quilting designs used:

Jagged

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

"Angry Young Men is a fiber collage quilt that examines urban violence, the criminal justice system in the United States, and community ambivalence toward the loss of a generation of young African American men. There appears to be a lack of public will to address their basic human right to have an enriched life, health, education and prosperity."

Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:

Quilts and Human Rights, Michigan State University Museum, January 15 - August 24, 2008

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?

Unknown

Access and copyright information:

Restricted

The quilt was made to be used for:

Artwork/wall hanging

Who photographed this quilt?

Pearl Yee Wong

Copyright holder:

MSU Board of Trustees