Fragments into Form: Coulter Fussell’s Quilted Narratives
In Coulter Fussell’s studio in Water Valley, Mississippi, a quilt rarely begins with fabric alone. It might start with a neighbour’s worn shirt, a set of faded bed linens, or a small object passed along with a story. These fragments arrive carrying traces of ordinary lives. Stitched together, they form works that move between personal memory and collective history. Opening 20 March at the Mississippi Museum of Art, Coulter Fussell: The Proving Ground is the first museum survey dedicated to the Mississippi-based artist’s quilt works.
Coulter Fussell, Modular Blues, 2025. Kodachrome slide image printed on chiffon, striped cotton, placemat, neon polyester, poly-fil, cotton batting, and thread on panel, 36 x 36 x 3 inches. Courtesy the artist.
Featuring more than forty works from five series produced since 2020, the exhibition traces the evolution of Fussell’s practice. Known initially for quilts rooted in traditional formats, she has increasingly pushed the medium toward sculptural, mixed-media territory. The works now incorporate upholstery techniques, photography and digital projection, expanding the language of quilting beyond the bedspread or wall hanging into immersive installations...
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Image Credits:
Lead: Coulter Fussell, Country Captain, 2022. Donated materials including Attic Windows quilt blocks, kantha quilt, chenille bedspread, cigarette softpacks found in the pockets of 1950s work shirts, lenticular postcards, satin souvenir pillow from New Orleans, 1880s robe, neon stretch lace, chiffon, and thread. 56 x 57 x 4 inches. Courtesy the artist.
All further images as credited in captions.