The Assembly Quilt is a living sensory earthwork installation to connect the history and dimensions of Athenian Hall's assembly hall with the outdoor environment that surrounds it. The 20’ x 40‘ quilt invites gatherings outdoors and metamorphoses throughout the year -- recognizing and respecting the passage of time, witnessing shifts in climate, and advocating intentional interactions with the space and the people in it.

The bed of the Assembly Quilt reimagines yard waste as a foundation to spark dialogue on the ways in which humans exist and impact the environment. The quilt blankets an undulating landscape composed of carbon-rich brown and nitrogen-rich green organic materials harvested from the museum grounds during the spring of 2022. The once-living leaves, sticks, and vegetation bestow fertile ground for physical and sensory connection. One hundred and eighty hardy groundcover perennials that can withstand light foot traffic unite the twenty “quilt blocks” and invite the community to release fragrance with each footstep and touch.

Every degree of human interaction leaves an impression and multiplies with each participant, impacting the form and structural integrity of the artwork.