The Minster Church St Andrew, Royal Parade, Plymouth
10th – 19th September 2020
10.00 – 16.00 Weekend opening times may vary
Three years ago a small group of volunteers decided to put on a quilt exhibition in the Minster Church of St Andrew to commemorate the journey of the Pilgrims fleeing persecution and seeking a new life. With great courage, the people on the Mayflower set out to cross the Atlantic Ocean to a foreign land. They had very little with them and left behind family, friends and possessions. They were men and women of faith and conviction hoping to create a new life for themselves and their families in a new and strange land. This exhibition seeks to recognise the courage and tenacity of everyone who sets out into the unknown whether 400 years ago or today.
Schools, voluntary groups and individuals were encouraged to design and create beautiful works of art to commemorate the voyage. The exhibition considers the themes of freedom, faith and personal liberty that informed the original journey and address themes of migration both in 1620 and today. Contributors could choose any of the four themes of the Mayflower 400 commemoration for inspiration for their designs. The themes, Leaving Home, Life at Sea, Journey’s End and Life in the New Land could be interpreted in any way that they chose and the result is a wonderful collection of multimedia textile art work from across the whole community.
The exhibition of 24 quilts and 16 pieces of Calligraphy come from as far afield as London and Massachusetts as well as from 2 Plymouth schools and voluntary groups from Devon and Cornwall. Many groups found it difficult to complete their quilts as social distancing and shielding took affect but found ways to ensure that the work was ready to be shown.
Joe Dent, Rector of the Minster Church of St Andrew said “I am so pleased to be able to welcome people in to our church again and hope that the event is well supported to recognise the efforts of everyone involved in putting on this exhibition.”
Entry to the exhibition is free but donations for UNICEF will be welcomed.
Teas and Coffees will be available. Due to social distancing it will be necessary to limit the number of people in the church at any one time, so there may be a short time to wait. Visitors will be asked to wear a face covering while inside the church.
For more information please contact Janet Greaves-Stocker 01752 550279