Much like the 1,000 Japanese prints donated by a Berkeley professor in 1919, and scores of abstract impressionist paintings bequeathed to the institution decades later, “this gift is going to have a similar impact,” Rinder says.Rinder was first introduced to Leon and his dedication to the quilted form when he saw one of Rosie Lee Tompkins’s quilts in a show at the Richmond Art Center sometime in the early 1990s. The majority are late-20th century pieces from quiltmakers in the Bay Area who were born in the South. ... certain art forms have, too. In a statement, the museum said the transformative acquisition “establishes a new and unparalleled area of strength in BAMPFA’s encyclopedic collection,” which already includes “sizeable” holdings of African American art. A San Francisco police sergeant has been cleared of criminal wrongdoing for… Folsom Street between Second and Fifth streets has been the site of… Among the changes made to the Major League Baseball schedule this year… UC Hastings case pushed city to move more homeless residents into hotels or shelters City officials have agreed to new pay raises for officers under a…Take a moment to see the source of your information   (Courtesy Eli Leon Bequest)A room of “classic” Tompkins quilt tops from the 1980s — oddly sized, invoking an analogy to jazz — fill one room, while another section includes creations in orange, yellow and purple she called “Three Sixes,” which refer to birthdates of her family members that have the number six in them, including Sept. 6, 1936, her own birthday. The quilts in Leon’s collection, which were predominantly made by African-American women, have been particularly affected by these prejudices, he said.Leon’s original plan, Ms. Hurth said, was to place his collection in multiple museums, including Berkeley, but he died before plans for this dispersal could be Mr. Rinder will be stepping down from his position at the Berkeley museum in March, but African-American Art Quilts Find a Museum Home in CaliforniaRosie Lee Tompkins’s “Untitled” (1985) is among the quilts that Eli Leon has donated to Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. “We intend to honor this incredible act of generosity just as Eli would have wanted us to—by making a sustained commitment to the long-term exhibition and scholarship of these extraordinary holdings, in order to deepen public appreciation for the vibrancy of African American quilt making traditions.”LEON BEGAN COLLECTING thrift store treasures and folk objects, including quilts, in the 1970s and first became aware of quilts by African American artists in 1985 when he met Tompkins at an Oakland-area flea market. The quilts offered were described as “traditional” and “standard” (meaning they were made by white quilters) and dated from the mid-19th century to the mid-20th century. . UC Berkeley Art Museum inherits grand trove of nearly 3,000 African American quilts Charles Desmarais October 16, 2019 Updated: January 30, 2020, 10:08 am Arbie Williams, “Medallion” (1987), quilted by Willia Ette Graham. Their unbridled colors, irregular shapes and nearly reckless range of textiles telegraphed a tremendous energy and the implacable ambition, and confidence, of great art. Right: Untitled, c. 1990; quilted by Willia Ette Graham and Johnnie Wade, 1991; polyester double knit and cotton backing; 55×55in. A major scholarly catalog about the collection will be published to accompany the exhibition.“By selecting BAMPFA as the permanent home for his remarkable collection, Eli Leon has given UC Berkeley a magnificent gift that will advance our commitment to celebrating diverse voices and cultural traditions,” UC Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ said in a statement.