Untitled (quilt)c. 200996 x 50 " (243.8 x 127 cm)Plastic bags and yarnGift of the Dunahoo Family, Institute 193, and Latitude Artist Community2017.11.101558625573Jessie DunahooTextilesUnited StatesTextilesAdam ReichJessie Dunahoo spent most of his life on a rural farm in Kentucky. He was born deaf and, by the time he was a teenager, he had lost almost the entirety of his sight. Given the relative lack of resources at that time for persons with disabilities, Dunahoo was left to make do on the farm. In his 30s and 40s, he had discovered art as a vehicle to sculpt space. Using dirt, brush, and debris, Dunahoo created sculptural installations on the grounds and paths surrounding his house. He use fences and trees to tether his intersecting lines—threads of rope and wire that Dunahoo used to navigate outdoor space, like a three dimensional map. Eventually, he became a client of social services and moved from the farm to state-operated group homes. For many years, Dunahoo maintained a studio at the Latitude Artist Community (Chicago), where he continued his creative work. There, he transitioned from sculpting outdoor environments to creating autonomous sewn structures that he referred to as "shelters," made from found materials such as grocery bags, garments, burlap, and other discarded things.
Sarah Margolis-Pineo, Handstitched Worlds: The Cartography of Quilts, Self-Taught Genius Gallery, July 16 – October 3, 2018.
Object information is a work in progress and
may be updated with new research. Records are reviewed and revised, and the
American Folk Art Museum welcomes additional information.
To help improve this record, please email photoservices@folkartmuseum.org20042014 2017 11 1 Jessie Dunahoo spent most of his life on a rural farm in Kentucky. He was born deaf and, by the time he was a teenager, he had lost almost the entirety of his sight. Given the relative lack of resources at that time for persons with disabilities, Dunahoo was left to make do on the farm. In his 30s and 40s, he had discovered art as a vehicle to sculpt space. Using dirt, brush, and debris, Dunahoo created sculptural installations on the grounds and paths surrounding his house. He use fences and trees to tether his intersecting lines—threads of rope and wire that Dunahoo used to navigate outdoor space, like a three dimensional map. Eventually, he became a client of social services and moved from the farm to state-operated group homes. For many years, Dunahoo maintained a studio at the Latitude Artist Community (Chicago), where he continued his creative work. There, he transitioned from sculpting outdoor environments to creating autonomous sewn structures that he referred to as "shelters," made from found materials such as grocery bags, garments, burlap, and other discarded things.
Sarah Margolis-Pineo, Handstitched Worlds: The Cartography of Quilts, Self-Taught Genius Gallery, July 16 – October 3, 2018.
Object information is a work in progress and
may be updated with new research. Records are reviewed and revised, and the
American Folk Art Museum welcomes additional information.
To help improve this record, please email photoservices@folkartmuseum.org