In the Presence of Our Ancestors. True to its title, many of the exhibitions artists are now ancestors. The works within the room stand as relics and testaments of their life and creativity while they were here. As a viewer, I found meaning in the title through stepping into the gallery to find that there were works that I felt a creative spirit, a resonance, and a kinship with. These were the pieces that drew me in and captured my attention. The most prominent of these being Lottie Mooney’s Housetop quilt. The balanced, bold line work and vibrant, minimal color palettes spoke to me. As one of the larger works in the room the scale of the quilt gives the piece of powerful presence. Full of energy while simultaneously grounding the show. Looking into this piece, as well as Lola Pettway’s Housetop quilt, led me to learn more about the quilters of Gee’s Bend, Alabama and the piece of Southern black art history.