ArtsXchange exhibit to honor late artist, educator Marquetta Johnson

Exhibition traces acclaimed quilter’s enduring influence on Atlanta’s creative community

By Angela Oliver | ArtsXchange Media

The ArtsXchange will honor the life and work of Atlanta artist and educator Marquetta Bell-Johnson (1956-2025) with Threads of a Living Legacy: The Art of Marquetta Bell-Johnson, on view Sept. 12 through Oct. 17 in the Jack Sinclair Gallery. The opening reception will be from 7-9 p.m. Sept. 12.

The tribute exhibition brings together quilts and textile works spanning Bell-Johnson’s career, offering an intimate look at an artist whose practice grew from family tradition into a distinctive language of color, texture, pattern, and layered materials.

A vital force in Atlanta’s arts ecosystem, Bell-Johnson’s reach extended from the Neighborhood Arts Center to the High Museum of Art — where her work lives in the permanent collection — as well as the Alliance Theatre, Kennedy Center/VSA Arts, and the National AIDS Memorial Quilt. After surviving a shooting that left her paralyzed from the waist down, Bell-Johnson remained fiercely dedicated to youth arts education, community collaboration, and adaptive art-making.

“Marquetta's practice reflected her belief that art should bring people together and remain accessible to everyday communities,” said Ric Washington, Sinclair Gallery Director at ArtsXchange. “What many people remember most about Marquetta is her generosity and openness. This exhibition invites our community to experience the full breadth of her work that continues to resonate deeply.”

The exhibition extends outside of the gallery to include Intersectionality, an illuminated wall sculpture Bell-Johnson co-created at ArtsXchange with artist Jeff Mather; a “touch gallery,” including items with Braille, for a sensory experience; and a video montage of archived reflections from collaborators, family, and peers.

Bell-Johnson also worked closely with the ArtsXchange over the years, from teaching youth arts classes to being one of the five women featured in Cover Me, a stunning 2023 exhibition of quilters and textile artists.

For Alice Lovelace, ArtsXchange’s executive director and a longtime friend of Bell-Johnson, the exhibition is also a deeply personal homecoming. “Like ArtsXchange,” she said, “Marquetta always knew art wasn’t meant to sit apart from people, but to reflect and include them.”

The Jack Sinclair Gallery is free and open to the public Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free.