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Lacy's granny flash mobs for London's Cultural Olympiad



07/28/12

The Crystal Quilt, by pioneering activist and artist Suzanne Lacy (Chair, Graduate Public Practice), has been recreated for London’s Tate Modern, July 18-Oct. 28, for the inaugural exhibition of 'The Tanks' at the Tate Modern, designed by Swiss architectural duo Herzog & de Meuron. The new space, a series of recycled underground concrete oil tanks, opened to the public as part of the current London 2012 Festival in conjunction with the Cultural Olympiad.

The original Crystal Quilt (1987) took place in Minneapolis where Lacy gathered 430 women over the age of 60 to share their views on growing older. The resulting performances, broadcast live on television, were attended by more than 3,000 people. The Crystal Quilt at Tate Modern combines the original elements of performance, activism, and broadcast in an ambitious work fusing social responsibility with the power of aesthetics. Lacy plans to update this groundbreaking piece with ‘granny flash mobs,’ a performance piece that celebrates the achievements of older women in Britain. 

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1987 performance, Minneapolis