In “Frontier Myth,” Chieko Murasugi pushes the boundaries of printmaking to create one of her signature kimonos. Here, the epidemic of gun violence in the United States is through the transformation of a traditional quilting motif into an unsettling, visually arresting field of spent ammunition. Alternating blocks of the familiar pattern are edged with ruby red trim, within which appear glimpses of rivers spilling over their banks. These torrents - water turned to blood - circle the sleeves and collar before converging in a large red octagon on the back of the garment.
“The log cabin is a traditional and historical American quilt pattern. It connotes the frontier, as well as myths of independence, individuality, and personal freedom. Unfortunately, some of these ideas have been twisted to provide a mandate that we own guns to protect ourselves and our property. This belief in the right to own and to use guns has led to a perpetuation of gun violence in this country.”
In “Frontier Myth,” Chieko Murasugi pushes the boundaries of printmaking to create one of her signature kimonos. Here, the epidemic of gun violence in the United States is through the transformation of a traditional quilting motif into an unsettling, visually arresting field of spent ammunition. Alternating blocks of the familiar pattern are edged with ruby red trim, within which appear glimpses of rivers spilling over their banks. These torrents - water turned to blood - circle the sleeves and collar before converging in a large red octagon on the back of the garment.
“The log cabin is a traditional and historical American quilt pattern. It connotes the frontier, as well as myths of independence, individuality, and personal freedom. Unfortunately, some of these ideas have been twisted to provide a mandate that we own guns to protect ourselves and our property. This belief in the right to own and to use guns has led to a perpetuation of gun violence in this country.”
