![\""Quilt](\"https:\/\/wpdash.medianewsgroup.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/SUT-L-VISUAL-QUILTS-02.jpg\")
<\/a>\u201cQuilt Japan: The 17th Quilt Nihon\u201d is currently on view at the Visions Museum of Textile Art at Liberty Station. The exhibit is on view through Oct. 10, 2026. (Steve Colburn)<\/p>\nQ: How long ago did work start for this exhibition, which opened June 27?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n A:<\/strong> We started the process to have this exhibition in May 2025 when we presented the proposal to our Curatorial Committee. Since then, we continued with the coordination of the shipment to our museum, funded by our philanthropy group, the Visions Giving Circle, and then designed the installation layout in the space, prepared the \u201ccondition report\u201d for each quilt, designed the title cards and the visitor information, and installed it with the support of our wonderful team of volunteers.<\/p>\n Q: For those unfamiliar, talk a little about Quilt Nihon and it being the largest international quilt competition in Japan.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n A:<\/strong> For 50 years now, the Japan Handicraft Instructors\u2019 Association (JHIA) has promoted handcrafted arts in Japan by educating and training instructors in eight specialties: quilting, knitting, embroidery, lace making, painting, weaving, leatherwork and flower art. The JHIA boasts 7,000 certified quilt instructors among its 12,000 members.<\/p>\n Its biennial Quilt Nihon exhibition is a unique opportunity to appreciate the creativity and complexity of these works of art.<\/p>\n There are three categories: Traditional (inspired and based on traditional ideas), Contemporary (demonstrates originality and independent ideas), Miniature (quilts must measure less than or equal to 60 centimeters on each side, and ll aspects of the quilt are reduced and miniaturized).<\/p>\n Q: Quilting has long been considered an art form in and of itself. What is its place in Japanese culture?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n A:<\/strong> Within just 30 years since the first introduction of American quilts to Japan, quilt making has become one of the most popular forms of needlework among Japanese women. It is estimated that there are now 2 to 3 million quiltmakers in Japan, which is one of the world\u2019s largest quilt populations. Unlike American quiltmakers, who often learn to quilt through informal practice with friends, families or local communities and by attending short-term workshops, many Japanese quiltmakers learn quilt making within an established organizational structure that administers teaching and certification programs.<\/p>\n Q: You selected pieces for this exhibition from a large collection of quilts from Japan. Please share the criteria you used to choose the quilts you brought to San Diego.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n A:<\/strong> This year\u2019s Quilt Nihon exhibition features award-winning and notable works in its selection. The biennial awards nine different recognitions. We narrowed it down by selecting the first prize awardees in the contemporary and traditional categories. In the miniatures category, all the awarded quilts were selected.<\/p>\n Q: Logistically speaking, what care went into shipping these quilts from Japan to San Diego?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n A:<\/strong> All the coordination between Japan and the United States was through the New England Quilt Museum, which did an extraordinary job maintaining the integrity of the artwork.<\/p>\n Q: As curator, what do you think is the most important takeaway for a viewer seeing the quilts in person?<\/strong><\/p>\n A:<\/strong> One of the surprising features is the level of detail in the quilts.\u00a0Many of the quilts, including the larger ones, have handcrafted details that make each quilt an extraordinary piece. The visitor, besides having a beautiful aesthetic experience, will also find a source of limitless inspiration.<\/p>\n \u201cQuilt Japan: The 17th Quilt Nihon\u201d is currently on view at the Visions Museum of Textile Art at Liberty Station. The exhibit is on view through Oct. 10, 2026. (Steve Colburn)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n \u201cQuilt Japan: The 17th Quilt Nihon\u201d is currently on view at the Visions Museum of Textile Art at Liberty Station. The exhibit is on view through Oct. 10, 2026. (Steve Colburn)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n \u201cQuilt Japan: The 17th Quilt Nihon\u201d is currently on view at the Visions Museum of Textile Art at Liberty Station. The exhibit is on view through Oct. 10, 2026. (Steve Colburn)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n \u201cQuilt Japan: The 17th Quilt Nihon\u201d is currently on view at the Visions Museum of Textile Art at Liberty Station. The exhibit is on view through Oct. 10, 2026. (Steve Colburn)\n<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Show Caption<\/p>\n 1 of 4<\/p>\n \u201cQuilt Japan: The 17th Quilt Nihon\u201d is currently on view at the Visions Museum of Textile Art at Liberty Station. The exhibit is on view through Oct. 10, 2026. (Steve Colburn)\n<\/p>\n\n
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