Coulter Fussell second hand object quilts
The Columbus Museum (COMU) will present “Coulter Fussell: The Proving Ground,” opening September 12, 2026. Born in Columbus and now based in Water Valley, Mississippi, Fussell transforms donated textiles, photographs, clothing, and found objects into richly layered quilt-based works that blur the boundaries between painting, sculpture, and storytelling. Organized by the Mississippi Museum of Art and curated by Kaegan Sparks, Associate Curator of Exhibitions, “The Proving Ground” is the first museum-organized retrospective of Fussell’s career.
The exhibition brings together more than 40 large-scale sewn collages and mixed-media installations spanning five major series created since 2020, tracing the evolution of her practice from traditional quilting formats toward increasingly sculptural works incorporating upholstery techniques, photography, and digital projection.
Fussell’s materials are gathered through a word-of-mouth network of friends, family, neighbors, and strangers. Bed linens, used clothing, household objects, and other discarded materials become the building blocks of works that explore memory, family, place, and the changing landscapes of the American South.
As Fussell explains, “It’s been lived in, loved on, cast off; it has a history you can see and feel.”
A particularly meaningful thread in the exhibition for Columbus audiences is Fussell’s River Raft Quilts (2019–present), a series she describes as both “guide-maps” and rafts outfitted for fantastical journeys. The works often incorporate references to landscapes and waterways, including the Chattahoochee River, which runs through Fussell’s hometown. Her newest Video-Chiffons series extends this exploration of Southern landscapes by combining textiles with photographs, video stills, and digital projection.
The exhibition also features new installation-scale works created for the presentation. In these works, moving images are projected onto fabrics that reflect, refract, or absorb the light, creating shifting optical effects and expanding Fussell’s ongoing investigation of memory, place, and perception.
“Coulter’s work has a remarkable ability to make the familiar feel new,” said Marianne Richter, Director of The Columbus Museum. “We’re delighted to welcome her back to Columbus and to share her compelling work with the Chattahoochee Valley.”
Fussell’s work has been recognized by prizes and grants from the Barbara Deming Memorial Fund for Feminist Visual Art, South Arts, the Mississippi Institute of Arts and Letters, the Museum of Arts & Design, Art Fields, the Mississippi Museum of Art, and United States Artists, among others. In 2026, she was selected as one of the inaugural Joan Mitchell Fellows.
At-a-Glance
Exhibition: “Coulter Fussell: The Proving Ground”
Dates: September 12, 2026 – January 3, 2027
Opening Celebration: Coulter Fussell Homecoming Celebration Saturday, September 12, 2026 // 3 – 7 PM
Admission: FREE
Website: www.comuga.org
About The Columbus Museum
Founded in 1953, The Columbus Museum is one of the largest museums in the Southeast. COMU invites visitors to celebrate creativity and culture through American art, regional history, tranquil gardens, and more.
Admission is always free.
