It’s a new year, but the mission remains unchanged at the Claire Oliver Gallery in Harlem: uplifting underrepresented communities, championing transcendent works of art, and pushing back against the gatekeeping that keeps too many people from accessing fine art. That mission takes shape in the gallery’s latest exhibition, “Certain Restrictions Do Apply,” featuring world-renowned fiber artists Carolyn Mazloomi and Sharon Kerry-Harlan.
“Art is truth, and my quilts bear witness,” Mazloomi told me. “They are evidence, testimony, and a lived record of American history.”
There’s a kind of quiet magic to the pieces on the walls at Claire Oliver. What immediately stands out is the irony of seeing some of the darkest, coldest chapters of American history stitched onto objects originally meant to keep us warm, rendered in bright, striking color. The intricate stitching pulls you in like a maze; the craftsmanship alone stops you in your tracks. But it becomes just as clear that this work wasn’t made by someone who simply researched history. There is yearning in every thread.
“The works are crafted in a medium that is soft and comforting,” said gallery owner Claire Oliver. “We are all surrounded by cloth in our daily lives; everyone can relate to a quilt, and it is an easy entry for the viewer to see the messages held within the work. I hope local Harlem residents will see themselves, their stories, and their material culture reflected here.”
Standing in the gallery, my mind drifted to Bill Withers’ “Grandma’s Hands.” One line in particular felt perfectly paired with the exhibition: “Grandma’s hands used to issue out a warning.” The hands of Mazloomi and Kerry-Harlan issue a warning. And they stitched, layered, and laid it bare across this joint showing.
“The exhibition comes at a time where I feel distrustful of our politicians and feel they are not serving my best interests,” Mazloomi said. “I no longer feel physically or economically secure. I feel as if my cultural identity is being stifled. That is why it’s important that I make art to document what’s going on around me. The quilts are visualizations of what’s happening in the world right now.”
Malcolm Johnson photos
A close-up of “Black Panther Party” by Carolyn Mazloomi. 
“Certain Restrictions Do Apply” by Carolyn Mazloomi. 
“Harriet Tubman” by Carolyn Mazloomi. 
Six works by artist Sharon Kerry-Harlan at “Certain Restrictions Do Apply.” 
“The Empire Builder” by Sharon Kerry-Harlan. 
Gallery visitors take in the new exhibit.
Quiltmaking has long been a cornerstone of cultures across the African diaspora. And much like the long history of Black cultural contributions being dismissed by the arbiters of “pop culture,” major art houses and museums spent decades failing to acknowledge the technical mastery and cultural significance embedded in textile art. Today, textiles are finally finding their place on gallery walls, but the artists, mostly Black women, who have championed the medium carry the weight of history. Their work is often both a refuge and a form of protest, each stitching a witness.
Mazloomi explained that her quilts traditionally recount stories from the Civil Rights Movement and Black history prior to 1980, so vibrant depictions of Rosa Parks or Huey P. Newton in his iconic peacock chair feel familiar within her body of work. But the piece after which the exhibition is named, “Certain Restrictions Do Apply,” turns its eye toward the present: a current chapter of American politics defined by exclusion, distrust, and deep fracture.
“Americans feel like they’re living in a constant crisis mode,” she said. “Bad politics is bleeding into our everyday lives. The quilts in the exhibit reflect my views about what’s currently happening here in America.”
The message for this show is crystal clear: viewers must keep their eyes open to the world around them just as they keep them open to the art in front of them.
“I hope when people see my quilts, they think about the urgent need to be aware of what’s happening in our country,” Mazloomi said. “In every strata of our lives, there’s conflict — debates about race, gender, and national identity. Be aware.”
At the opening, I ran into another notable fiber artist, Jacqueline Johnson, who came to witness the work herself. She understands the complexities and the stakes of quilting.
“Caroline has managed to mine the civil rights archive and produce a whole new interpretation of it,” Johnson told me. “In this era where our rights are being undermined and dissipated by this administration, these quilts are doing the work we need to be constantly reminded of. These quilts are necessary documents for this community and the larger community.”
Though the Claire Oliver Gallery represents some of the most sought-after artists on the planet, the space takes pride in maintaining an open-door philosophy. No matter the price tag, the only requirement for access is the willingness to step inside. The gallery intentionally avoids even the word ‘gallery’ on its signage in quiet rebellion against the idea that art is for the elite.
“Creativity has to be shown; it’s not always something that’s intuitively learned,” said Ian Rubenstein, director of the space. “Half the people I want to be a catalyst for won’t come in because they think a gallery comes with a financial obligation. So when people open the door and say, ‘What is this?’ I tell them, ‘It’s for you. It’s art.’”
“Certain Restrictions Do Apply” is on display at the Claire Oliver Gallery through March 7th. For more information, visit https://www.claireoliver.com.