Statement Pieces: Fashioning the Self & Society juxtaposes works from the KIA’s collection with contemporary fashion from the Barrett Barrera Projects collection to examine how self-presentation and identity have been shaped and reimagined over the last 200 years. Fashion and portraiture address more than appearance—they can present ideas, status, and even offer visibility. They can also become sites where identity— particularly the construction of the feminine—is staged, negotiated, and at times challenged.
Join us for brief remarks at 5:30, followed by an opportunity to explore the galleries and shop exhibition-related items at the Gallery Shop. Be among the first to experience how fashion and the visual arts influence understandings and representations of our identities.
Statement Pieces is organized in conjunction with Barrett Barrera Projects. Made possible by generous support from Diane & Randy Eberts and Heritage Community of Kalamazoo.
Image credit: Helen Frankenthaler, Grey Fireworks, 2000, screenprint. Collection of the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts; Partial purchase through the Permanent Collection Fund and partial gift of Thomas Lollar, 2009.106.
Gucci, Embroidered Tulle Gown with Multicolored Feather Skirt, Autumn/Winter 2016. Photo Barrett Barrera Projects. Courtesy of Barrett Barrera Projects