Press RoomNew fashion exhibition at Phoenix Art Museum explores the history of India’s enduring influence on Western fashion
New fashion exhibition at Phoenix Art Museum explores the history of India’s enduring influence on Western fashion
Dec, 17, 2019
Exhibitions and Special InstallationsFashion DesignCollectionsFashion Design
New fashion exhibition at Phoenix Art Museum explores the history of India’s enduring influence on Western fashion
India: Fashion’s Muse illuminates the region’s significance as a source of inspiration for Western designers across centuries
PHOENIX (December 17, 2019) – From February 29 through June 21, 2020, Phoenix Art Museum
will present India: Fashion’s Muse,
an exhibition examining the ways in which Indian dress, aesthetic, and artwork
have inspired Western fashion designs from streetwear to couture. Spanning the
19th to the 21st centuries, the exhibition showcases
nearly 40 garments and more than 20 accessories drawn from the collection of Phoenix
Art Museum and on loan from private collectors and museums. Featured designs
include the paisley shawl, the sari, and the Nehru jacket, with traditional Indian
garments exhibited alongside modern
works by Indian fashion designer Anamika Khanna and Western designers
such as McQueen, Givenchy, and Versace. Curated by Helen Jean, the interim
curator of fashion design of Phoenix Art Museum, the exhibition will also
present complementary artworks from the Museum’s Asian art collection and a
four-minute film on Yves Saint Laurent’s 1982 collection, which was inspired by
Indian design.
“Phoenix Art Museum
is excited to present India: Fashion’s Muse to our audiences
in Arizona,” said Gilbert Vicario, the Museum’s Deputy Director for Curatorial
Affairs and the Selig Family Chief Curator. “This exhibition explores how
international designers have been inspired by and adapted Indian silhouettes,
trends, and more into their creations over the past century. India:
Fashion’s Muse will also open a window onto the current Indian fashion
scene that is redefining the future of style and innovation for a global
audience.”
India: Fashion’s Muse features ensembles and accessories from the 19th
through the 21st centuries. Drawing primarily from the Museum’s
renowned fashion collection, Jean selected garments that illustrate how fashion
designers have referenced imagery, color palettes, and silhouettes from India
for their Western clientele. Featured designs include vintage and contemporary
interpretations of the sari; menswear, including the Nehru collar and the Sikh
turban; and accessory cases showcasing a collection of gold jewelry from local
collectors and Judith Leiber purses, on loan from the private collection of
Kelly Ellman, who in 2006 endowed the Kelly Ellman Fashion Design Gallery in
which the exhibition will be presented.
Visitors will also be able to view the U.S.
premiere of I Thought I Was Dreaming,
a four-minute film by award-winning artist Sarah Singh featuring Kirat Young,
widely-known as India’s first supermodel, and based on the 1982 collection by
Yves Saint Laurent that was inspired by India. Presently Singh showcases her
work in museums, galleries, think tanks, and universities around the world and,
in 2018, launched a new international arts salon in India for concept-driven
experiences. The film, which presents a kaleidoscopic world of reflected images
as an interpretation of culture, will be shown as a continuous screening within
the exhibition.
“India has inspired Western fashion designers for hundreds
of years, and this exhibition tells a small but integral part of that very
complex story,” said Jean. “With today’s growing awareness about the impact of
cultural appropriation by the West, there is greater opportunity to examine how
we can better respect those cultural elements in an increasingly globalized
world. My hope is that after viewers experience the exhibition, they will be
encouraged to look in their own closets, wonder about the origins of their
clothes, and research the history of designs and silhouettes they are drawn to
in an effort to become more informed about their choices.”
For
interviews and high-resolution photography, contact the Press Office of Phoenix
Art Museum at 602.257.2160 or melissa.dunmore@phxart.org. For more information about Phoenix Art Museum and its
collections, exhibitions, and education programs, visit phxart.org.
About the Exhibition
India: Fashion’s Muse will be on view from February 29 through June 21, 2020 in
the Kelly Ellman Fashion Design Gallery. It is organized by Phoenix Art Museum
and made possible through the generosity of Arizona Costume Institute, with
additional support from the Museum’s Circles of Support and Museum Members.
For more details about the exhibition, please visit phxart.org/indiafashionsmuse.
Admission
is free for Museum Members; veterans and active-duty military and their
families; Maricopa Community College students (with ID); and youth aged 5 and
younger. Entrance to the exhibition is included in general admission for the
general public. During voluntary-donation times, the exhibition is offered to
the general public with pay-what-you-wish admission. Voluntary-donation times
include Wednesdays from 3 – 9 pm and the first Friday of each month from 6 – 10
pm, and general admission is free for visitors aged 17 and younger on the last
Saturday of each month. For a full breakdown of general-admission prices and
hours, see bit.ly/VisitPhxArt.
High-resolution
photography can be downloaded here. To request interviews, contact the
Marketing and Communications Office of Phoenix Art Museum at 602.257.2160 ormelissa.dunmore@phxart.org.
About Phoenix Art Museum
Since 1959, Phoenix Art
Museum has provided millions of guests with access to world-class art and
experiences in an effort to ignite imaginations, create meaningful connections,
and serve as a brave space for all people who wish to experience the
transformative power of art. Located in Phoenix’s Central Corridor, the Museum
is a vibrant destination for the visual arts and the largest art museum in the
southwestern United States. Each year, more than 300,000 guests engage with
critically acclaimed national and international exhibitions and the Museum’s
collection of more than 20,000 works of American and Western American, Asian,
European, Latin American, modern and contemporary art, and fashion design. The
Museum also presents a comprehensive film program, live performances, and
educational programs designed for visitors of all ages, along with vibrant
photography exhibitions made possible through the Museum’s landmark partnership
with the Center for Creative Photography, University of Arizona. To learn more
about Phoenix Art Museum, visit phxart.org, or call 602.257.1880.
