Today the Houston Chronicle reports that two of the Gee's Bend quilters are suing Tinwood Ventures for "exploiting the quiters' naivete about the art world and product licensing." There were two Gee's Bend shows at MFAH: the first in 2002, and the second last year. The former was an astounding revelation of incredible early 20th century folk art; the latter, a disappointing retread of much more recent pieces, with a precipitous drop in both the integrity of the materials and the design aesthetic. With all the marketing and product tie-ins, it sure felt like a cash cow, and the audience were the ones brainlessly tugging on those udders.
Bad quilt blood
