Rhythm and Pattern Found in the Nelson Art Gallery

Pattern and rhythm are two concepts that come to mind when looking at the quilts in the Nelson Art Gallery in Davis, CA. When we think of rhythm we think of repetition and visual unity that guide and lead us through the image we are looking at. We also associate rhythm as used in music, so when looking at a piece we say it has rhythm when we can imagine without words, the sensation of hearing a beat. When a pattern is repeated in the piece a pace can be established for looking at it because the viewer’s eye moves across the recurring motif, providing repetition and giving us the sense of rhythm. In the first picture above, we can see the pattern (or the human need to visually recognize a reoccurring theme to add visual unity to the piece) has repeating horizontal and vertical line blocks of fabric. The different colors not only help the visual repetition but also make it much more lively; inducing our brains to imagine a rhythm that is much more upbeat.  The pattern also seems to swirl in a way, starting from the outside corners and working its way in, where the lines come closer together as if about to implode. This pattern leads me to imagine that the rhythm, is working its way from the outside edge, leading up to and just about to enter its climax at the center of the piece.
      In the next picture right below the first, we see another form of visual pattern, which leads us to a rhythm. In the quilt in the center of the picture (the black and white one that looks like it has many repeating bows on it), we can see some visual “slippage” in which the artist plays with our eyes by putting two bold colors side-by-side, using a few repeating shapes, but changing the color of them from one to the next (ex: from black to white to black). This makes our mind want to search for a pattern, to give unity back to the piece, using pattern to make sense for what unity is lacking. So now that we have established the pattern, we see start to understand the rhythm. It is bouncy and all over the place, but it is pretty simple. The simplicity of a commonly repeated pattern give emphasis all over, to the entire piece.  If we look at this piece close-up we see that is not as unified as it is from far away. The pieces of cloth material used in this piece change not only texture, but color as well (see last picture below). It is not a solid black and white piece, there is much more variety than we had first anticipated. The other thing about the rhythm of this piece is that it never seems to end. Because there are no clear changes of pattern, our eyes jump back across the piece over and over, making the rhythm a constant, never-ending loop.

[Images from: My own Camera, Images in order: (top left) Ora L. Thompson. Untitled. circa 20th century. cotton. collection of Sandra McPherson, (top right) Mrs. Longmire. Silk Medallions. circa 1880. silk, cotton. collection of Sandra McPherson, (bottom left) Donnie Chambliss. Slave's Popcorn Quilt. circa late 19th century. cotton. collection of Avis Collins Robinson, (bottom middle) Avis Collins Robinson. Piano Keys. 2009. cotton, (bottom right) Avis Collins Robinson. My Mama is Dead. 2007. cotton, (bottom center) Ora L. Thompson. Untitled. circa 20th century. cotton. collection of Sandra McPherson ]