Quilting for a Cause: Red Cross Quilts of the Great War
June 7, 2019 – September 2, 2019
Exhibition Details
Founders’ Gallery presents two sister exhibitions of Canadian war-related craft. Both curated by Heather Smith, this will be the first time they have been shown together. Smith writes, “Today, the objects in these exhibitions serve to commemorate the experience of Canadians during wartime, but it is interesting to consider that they were mostly made with a different purpose in mind. The quilts were made to fundraise for the Canadian Red Cross so that they could support the war effort with hospitals, medical equipment and care packages. The trench art was made or collected to serve as souvenirs and gifts for loved ones, to pass time in POW camps, or to contribute to the rehabilitation of the wounded. These craft objects tell the story of war through an alternate lens – that of the individual making craft objects to serve a purpose during wartime.”
Quilting for a Cause: Red Cross Quilts of the Great War
Organized by the Waterford Heritage and Agricultural Museum
Between 1914 and 1918, entire communities joined together to create remarkable Red Cross signature quilts in support of their soldiers and the war effort. At Founders’ Gallery, we present nine stunning quilts brought together from Ontario communities to highlight an amazing history of devotion, perseverance, and commemoration of the Great War, with the addition of a remarkable example from the Chilliwack Museum and Archives. A glossy 76-page booklet with forward by James Christison and essay by Heather Smith, will be available in The Military Museums of Calgary gift shop.
Image Gallery
