From 4th to 18th August, the 80 Candles Quilt found a beautiful home in Melbourne Parish Church, where it was welcomed thanks to the support of Creative Melbourne Gallery and Melbourne Festival (who are busy preparing for this year’s exciting Art & Architecture Trail next month.
The quilt has always been about connection, remembrance, and compassion and the response from visitors during its time in Melbourne reflected exactly that. People paused, looked closely, and shared heartfelt words about what it meant to them.
Through the visitor comment forms, people shared moving reflections about their experience with the quilt. One person wrote that they were “drawn to this and amazed at each new detail the longer I stood and observed it. The humanity and intimacy of it is what makes it – the ‘pairing’ of someone now and someone then.” Another described it as “powerful and thought provoking. May we remember all those lives and light candles in the darkness.”
Visitors also praised the artistry of the quilt itself, describing it as “a beautiful and impressive display,” “so moving – a wonderful project,” and “really beautiful, with each individual square telling its own story.”
We’re so grateful to everyone who visited and took the time to reflect, and to our partners in Melbourne who made this display possible.
What’s Next for the Quilt?
The next stop for the 80 Candles Quilt will be at the National Holocaust Centre and Museum in Newark, where I’ll be giving a talk about the quilt and the stories it holds on Sunday 21st September.
We are continuing to look for new venues to share and display the quilt. If you would like to host it, please do get in touch with me at laura_burrill@outlook.com.
Every Stitch A Story 