International Quilt Museum Celebrates 25 Years of Ardis & Robert James Collection
The Friends of the International Quilt Museum, the supporting arm of the International Quilt Museum (IQM, www.internationalquiltmuseum.org), is excited to announce that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the donation of the Ardis & Robert James Collection to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The Jameses’ gift of their unparalleled 1,000-piece collection in 1997 established the University’s International Quilt Museum (IQM) and formed the solid base from which the museum has steadily grown. Today, the IQM’s collection includes more than 6,000 quilts from five different centuries and over 50 countries—an expansion that has been encouraged by the James family, who continues to support the museum’s efforts to represent global quilt making, past and present.
To commemorate the anniversary, IQM is showcasing An Evolving Vision: The James Collection at 25, an exhibition series on view March 4 to October 29, which highlights important pieces from various segments of the collection: Classics – stunning antique American quilts; From the Studio – early and innovative art pieces; and New Horizons – quilt traditions from around the world. As a whole, An Evolving Vision documents the significance of the James
Collection but also underscores the broad vision its collectors developed not only for themselves, but for the museum they so vitally helped shape.
The International Quilt Museum, located on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s East Campus at 33rd and Holdrege, is dedicated to building a global collection and audience that celebrate the cultural and artistic significance of quilts. Visit www.internationalquiltmuseum.org for more information.