‘City Blocks’ is a project that builds on the tradition of patchwork and quilting. Quilts are typically made up of several blocks of fabric that are sewn together, their repeating patterns and colour values creating a pleasing design. Traditional quilt blocks were designed to tell a story or reflect an aspect of daily life, and simple shapes were configured in various ways, developing a graphic vocabulary reflective of a certain time.
Through a series of repeating patchwork patterns, ‘City Blocks’ presents a vocabulary that is informed by the built environment around us now. The installation is composed of two textile panels featuring quilt blocks made of scrap and recycled fabric. The shapes and forms of the quilt blocks relate to real places, as they are distilled from familiar elements we encounter every day, reflecting this place and the changing landscapes of this city.
Sarah Aranha is an artist and maker who works with textiles, watercolour, and gouache. Her work explores the still life genre and draws from the patterns, interactions and routines of the everyday. Sarah lives and works in Toronto.
