It’s about fashion’s deeper purpose …

CLOTH, Construct, CULTURE: fashion builds a story exhibition presents exquisite collections from contemporary international designers. Recognized as one of the top 10 shows in The Oregonian Fall Arts 2023 picks by Briana Miller, ¹ the show explores how culture and identity are shaped through fashion. It features today’s leading-edge fashion creators whose works resonate with cultural, ecological, and sociological themes, including Kyle Denman, Isabella Diorio, Korina Emmerich (Puyallup), Karen Glass, Alena Kalana, Ruree Lee, Maital Levitan, Abiola Onabulé, and Yun Qu.

Framed in storytelling, “CLOTH” examines issues around the environment, multiculturalism, identity, and human connection, while calling attention to victimized and marginalized communities. Exploring deeper purpose within fashion and its role in our culture, this show is designed to offer an educational experience and intelligent context for how the construct of cloth can tell a story through design, triggering conversations regarding these deeper issues without losing focus on its aesthetic appeal.  With over 50 objects of exquisitely created looks, typically not seen in off-the-rack fashion, “CLOTH” reveals that innovative flair and socio-cultural narratives are not mutually exclusive.

I’ve had the desire to see contemporary fashion exhibits of designers, emerging and established, who are among the living; it seems like an eternity. As curator, I am thrilled to witness the work by this select group of designers whose practice is not about ‘cut and sew and sell’, instead, about beauty, concept, and meaning, uniting materiality with cultural context. I am humbled to be in the audience. 

Skilled with technical composition, their body of work seeks to interrogate the social construct of today, informing and challenging the intellect of the viewer, often reaching viewers otherwise not engaged within the art world’s aesthetic discourse. 

What’s fascinating, hmm … maybe disturbing, is that the purpose and meaning behind a designer’s body of work is lost on society, particularly at point of consumption. When you are shopping and select an item, you do not know the creative intent of that garment, nor do most people care. But if we understood the thinking, vision, or thematic substance of a garment, and the designer’s ecological practice, we may value clothes differently. Fashion offers a deeper purpose and meaning, one of appreciation, conservation, and contribution to culture.

Exhibition Details

CLOTH, Construct, CULTURE: fashion builds a story, curated by Rhonda P. Hill, 24 October 2023—24 January 2024, Parallax Art Center, Portland, Oregon, USA

Notes

1. Miller, Briana. 2023. “Biennials, festivals, and group shows feature great regional artists.” The Oregonian, 8 September. https://www.oregonlive.com/entertainment/2023/09/fall-arts-2023-biennials-festivals-and-group-shows-feature-some-of-the-regions-best-artists.html

Feature image: The work of Yun Qu (foreground) and Karen Glass (beyond exit sign), “CLOTH, Construct, CULTURE” behind-the-scenes installation, Parallax Art Center. Photographed by Rhonda P. Hill.