QUILT INDEX RECORD
12-8-6676
Who documented this quilt?
Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Quilts and Human Rights; The Black Diaspora Quilt History Project
Where are the records for this quilt housed?
Michigan State University Museum
Michigan Quilt Project Number:
16.0006
If this quilt is owned by a museum, enter the accession number:
2016:11.1
Essay:
Ubuntu is a Southern African philosophy which states, 'I am because you are.' It encompasses the human virtues of compassion and humanity, which are exemplified by Leah and Desmond Tutu's life mission. When contemplating the word Ubuntu, the synergy and connection between the Tutus and Ubuntu became very apparent to me - and so it befitted that the two be merged and hence 'ubuntutu'.
Benny Gool's photograph of the Tutus was the perfect focal point for my quilt. I used a photo transfer technique to print the images of the hands and faces onto different individual pieces of fabric, this carried over to the theme of squares throughout the quilt.
The rainbow over the Tutus was made with African fabrics. It is a tribute to all the people of South African 'Rainbow Nation', a phrase coined by Archbishop Tutu to describe post-apartheid South Africa. I also used the rainbow colours as highlights in the head wrap and clothing to further connect the Tutus with the 'Rainbow Nation'>
A large portion of the quilt uses liturgical colours, such as purple, violet, rose and pink, representing Archbishop Tutu's devotion to the clergy.*
I grew up in Australia. Although I did not start making quilts until age 43. I loved sewing from an early age. My grandmother was a tailor/dressmaker and my mother made all my clothes - which were the envy of all. I have lived in Italy, Belgium, Thailand and South Africa. While living in Bangkok I belonged to the Bangkok Quilt Group and the Nichada Quilt Group. In Cape Town I belong to the Cape Quilters Guild, the Good Hope Quilters Guild, and the FACT - Fibre Artist Cape Town Group.
*Photographer Benny Gool gave Diana Vandeyar his permission to use his photo in this quilt.
From MacDowell, Marsha and Brown, Aleia; Ubuntutu: Life Legacies of Love and Action: Quilt Tributes to Desmond and Leah Tutu by South African and American artists, Michigan State University Museum and Women of Color Quilters Network, 2016, page 67.
Quilt's title:
Ubuntutu
Subject of the quilt:
Archibishop Desmond Tutu
When was the form filled out?
5/31/2016
Quilt top made by:
Vandeyar, Diana
Quilted by:
Vandeyar, Diana
Describe the relationship to the quilt's maker:
Museum employee
Where the quilt was made, city:
Cape Town
Where the quilt was made, country:
South Africa
Time period:
2000-2025
When was the quilt finished?
2016
Why was the quilt made?
Art or personal expression; Commemorative
Details about why the quilt was made:
The title combines the term Ubuntu, which is a South African philosophy and phrase which translates as "human kindness" or "human-ness", combined with the name Tutu, to form "Ubuntutu". This quilt was made for the traveling exhibition MSU Museum organized to honor Archbishop Desmond Tutu, which is titled after this quilt. The quilter made the quilt in Oakton, Virginia
Quilt is presently used as:
Museum collection
Quiltmaker's gender:
Female
This is a:
Finished quilt
How wide is the quilt?
30"
How long is the quilt?
29 1/2"
Shape of edge:
Straight
Overall color scheme:
Multicolor
Quilt's condition:
Excellent/like new
Type of inscription:
Message
What is inscribed on the quilt?
ubuntutu
Describe the quilt's layout:
Medallion or framed center
Piecing techniques used to make the quilt top:
Machine Piecing
How are the layers held together?
Machine quilting
Where did the maker find their pattern?
Original to maker
Exhibitions where this quilt was displayed:
Ubuntutu: Life Legacies of Love and Action, was displayed at the Nelson Mandela Gateway Museum, Cape Town, South Africa from October 3 - November 2016; and Stellenbosch University Museum, Stellenbosch, South Africa, November 24, 2016 - February 28, 2017.
Ownership of this quilt is:
Public Museum, Library, or Institution
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:
Michigan State University Museum
Cite this Quilt
Vandeyar, Dian. Ubuntutu. 2016. From Michigan State University Museum, Michigan Quilt Project; Michigan State University Museum Collection; Quilts and Human Rights; The Black Diaspora Quilt History Project. Published in The Quilt Index, https://quiltindex.org/view/?type=fullrec&kid=12-8-6676. Accessed: 04/25/24
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Exhibit
Ubuntutu: Life Legacies of Love and Ac...
MacDowell, Marsha