CLOTH & COLOUR

Cloth and Colour: An Exhibition of Quilts by Matthew Miller

This exhibition was inspired by the work of the quilters of Gee’s Bend, Alabama. Using only waste material from their worn out garments/sheets, the women of Gee’s Bend made vibrant and raw quilts that rival any colourists of the 20th century. This exhibition drove Miller to collaborate with his mother Liza on his first quilt in 2016 before developing his own process to produce the pieces exhibited in this show. He is interested in the ecological use of fabric in quilting, and has used end of roll and pre-worn fabrics in all of his quilts.
Miller's background in Book Arts and Design, as a graduate from London College of Communication, has seen him host shows in varying media in both London and his home town of York. Previously his medium of choice has been painting, 'Cloth and Colour' will be his first exhibition of quilts.
Leaning into the aesthetic of his paintings, Miller extends his exploration of bright, bold colours and clear form to create a series of vibrant collages in cloth. He has found in quilts a tactile medium that can work just as easily on a table or bed as on a wall. This practical use gives the works an emotional element, allowing people to feel them and touch them as well as just admire them and giving them a purpose beyond aesthetics. This is why some of people’s most treasured belongings are those which they have slept under, eaten off and worn. They stay warm under them and wrap themselves in them.
The exhibition ran in the Theatre Royal from November 6th -30th, 2021