Uncovered : The Ken Burns Collection

L AU R I E B A K E R

Uncovered: The Ken Burns Collection

Until 2018, when the International Quilt Museum in Lincoln, NE, put a selection of quilts from award winning filmmaker and documentarian Ken Burns on display, his penchant for collecting antique American quilts was known to only a few people.

It’s a pastime he enjoys just for himself, but, when approached by the museum to let the world experience his amazing collection, he was happy to let his quilts become celebrities.

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Uncovered: The Ken Burns Collection The exhibition traveled to just three other locations outside Nebraska: the Upcountry History Museum in Greenville, SC, the Peoria Riverfront Museum in Peoria, IL, and the Great Wisconsin Quilt Show in Madison, WI. Across these venues, thousands were able to connect to these stunning works of handmade art firsthand, but it’s uncertain if there will be any additional public showings.

Thanks to a gift from Flo and Sid Banwart, the exhibit will live on through a book showcasing all 26 of the quilts in the exhibit, plus an additional 11 quilts from Ken’s extensive collection. The Banwarts are two of the Peoria Riverfront Museum’s most generous patrons. Flo Banwart is an extraordinary quilter herself. For those who weren’t able to experience the joy of viewing the collection in person, as well as for those who did and want a way to remember it, this book documents the beauty of an incredible treasury of historical pieces.

Inside Uncovered: The Ken Burns Collection, readers will find stunning, color-saturated photographs of all 37 quilts, each with closeup details that bring them to life. Enjoy the makers’ quilting stitches, their artistic color selections, and even some interesting backings, a detail not always available to those who attended the exhibitions. Burns’s thoughts about quilts and reactions to specific quilts appear throughout the book, just as they did in the museum galleries where the quilts were displayed and appreciated by quilt and art enthusiasts from near and far.

Whether you love quilts and textiles or are a devoted follower of Ken Burns’s stories of American history, this book is a stunning visual experience of all types of quilts, from simple to brilliantly complex, from bold to demure. Their beauty speaks for them. All you have to do is listen.

Retail customers can order the 128-page hardcover book through the Peoria Riverfront Museums online store, peoriariverfrontmuseum.org, for $50. For wholesale and distributor pricing, contact Brittany Eson at 309-863-3008 or beson@peoriariverfrontmuseum.org.

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