Mary Jackson Gallery – Sweetgrass Baskets | Southern Studies F21 at CofC

Mary Jackson Gallery at The Gibbes Museum of Art

Charleston, South Carolina is a city rich in history, one that is worthy of both celebration and sorrow. The Gibbes Museum of Art located in downtown Charleston displays this history and provides a look into southern culture through its numerous exhibits and works of art. One notable collection of art featured at the Gibbes includes the Mary Jackson Gallery of Modern and Contemporary Art, which features sweetgrass baskets created by Mary Jackson. In her basket designs, Jackson uses various materials and combines her creativity with contemporary influences and traditional basket weaving techniques. The exhibit at the Gibbes highlights three of her works, including the Cobra Basket, Never Again, and Two Lips. Jackson’s innovative designs have led her to receive numerous awards, including the reputable MacArthur Fellowship.

Mary Jackson’s “Two Lips”

Mary Jackson grew up in the South where she learned the tradition of basket making. She would spend hours with her family weaving baskets in the summertime. It was important to her parents that she learn the skill and continue the tradition of her ancestors. The concept of weaving sweetgrass baskets was brought to North America from West Africa by enslaved people. The baskets were utilized for food storage as well as in the rice fields. These baskets were particularly useful for rice cultivation because they more easily allowed slaves to separate rice from the chaff, or husk. Basket makers found the materials of the Lowcountry, such as sweetgrass and palmetto, to be similar to the materials they used in West Africa. Plantation owners recognized the value of the weavers, as not all plantations had slaves who possessed the skill needed to make them. This value allowed some enslaved families to stay together, as basket weaving was very much a family affair. The males in a family would typically gather the grasses and other natural materials while the females focused on the art and act of weaving. This tradition of basket weaving is still prominent today because of families like Mary Jackson’s who have passed down the tradition from generation to generation.

The baskets displayed at the Gibbes Museum are not only beautiful to look at, but are notable because of their celebration of Gullah and West African culture and tradition. Jackson’s work highlights a darker part of the South’s past because of the baskets’ connotation to slavery, yet her work embraces southern culture and demonstrates her pride for her heritage. In each of her intricate and unique baskets, Jackson pays homage to her ancestors and is proud to carry on the tradition of weaving. By observing Jackson’s work, one can acknowledge the baskets’ connection to the past, while gaining a greater appreciation for Gullah and West African culture. Studying the baskets allows one to make connections between Africa and the South, as well as recognize African American influence on southern culture. The skills and time needed to create the baskets are significant aspects that are also worthy of appreciation. Sweetgrass basketry is a distinguished art form that should be valued for its contribution to southern culture, as well as for the history and hard work that it represents.