'Nuclear-Free Quilt'

item details

Name'Nuclear-Free Quilt'

ProductionJoanne Bains; sewer (textile worker); 1994; Auckland
1994

Classificationquilts, wall hangings, protests

Materialscotton, wool, polyester

Materials SummaryQuilt of cotton and wool, with polyester batting. Made using traditional techniques, including embroidery and appliqué.

Techniquesquilting, appliqué

DimensionsOverall: 2820mm (width), 2180mm (height)

Registration NumberGH007076

Credit linePurchased 1998 with New Zealand Lottery Grants Board funds

Overview

This quilt protests against nuclear weapons testing in the Pacific. The panels depict Pacific and New Zealand plants, animals, and nuclear-free motifs. The lower border in Sāmoan translates as ‘International Year of World's Indigenous People’ (which had taken place the previous year in 1993).

Many hands

Joanne Bains designed and directed the making of the quilt from 1993-94, for the World Court Project in 1994. The World Court Project was initiated by New Zealanders who took the issue of whether nuclear weapons are legal to the International Court of Justice for an advisory opinion.

The panels depict a range of Pacific and New Zealand plants, animals and nuclear issues. The Rainbow Warrior is acknowledged top right. Other issues included in the quilt are apartheid, United States military bases, pollution and extinction.

The two largest central blocks are Rarotongan tivaevae made by Matarena George. Joanne Bains made the borders and some of the panels (including the central 'World Court Project' panel featuring the dove), and added further detailing such as painting, embroidery, appliqué and badges. Secondary school art students and members of the Auckland Patchworkers and Quiltmakers Guild also contributed.

The soft, tactile, colourful and visual qualities of quilts such as this can make them non-threatening but effective protest objects, translatable across cultures.

International ambassador

The quilt was toured nationally and internationally, and displayed at key conferences. Thousands of cards depicting it were sold to fundraise for the World Court Project. In October 1995, it was displayed at the World Court in The Hague in the Netherlands when New Zealand's Declarations of Public Conscience were presented. It was also displayed at an international peace conference in New York in the United States in April 1995.