A Virus a Day

A Virus a Day Textile Art by Antje Rook

14 March to 12 June 2022

Art by Antje Rook

14 March to 12 June 2022

Alice Ellen Cooper Dean Community Space

Admission Free

Antje Rook created the A Virus a Day quilt created in response to Covid-19. The Portland artist embroidered one virus for every day of the first 2020 UK lockdown while she was isolating with her partner. Intrigued by the magnified images of the colourful virus everywhere she created them in different shapes and textures. The quilt gave her days structure throughout her isolation, giving her something to hold onto.

Antje also created textile art to reflect her life during the lockdown and her own personal challenges. Embroidered and appliqued images including Lockdown and Notes on a Pandemic express her sadness at not being able to hug her family, how she often felt trapped and her anger at people not following the rules to protect others.

After Antje lost a friend to Covid-19, she added names to her quilt to remember people who did not survive. This turned into a community fundraising project for the NHS with donations in return for a framed, quilted Virus. The remaining squares were made up into a quilt which Antje donated to Dorset Museum as part of our Covid-19 collecting campaign.

One of Antje’s deepest beliefs is that being creative and making beautiful things is important for the soul. She wants to make people happy and bring great comfort to many people through the quilt project. This exhibition also highlights some of the powerful and moving responses from people who donated to the project.