Material World, the latest exhibition in the Paul Textile and Fashion Arts Galleries, is comprised of tantalizing objects from around the world, each with its own set of installation needs. From court dresses to Imperial robes to ceremonial dance ensembles, the size and weight of the objects, vulnerability of materials, and the support needed vary from object to object. Some pieces demand heads for accompanying headdresses, while others require specific stances, or modified mounts.

Custom mount for woman’s belt.

Installed, the ring supports the belt allowing long fringe to hang freely.

In some instances, dresses slipped on mannequins with little adjustment, but in other cases the silhouette of the garment or weight and texture of the fabric prohibited the use of conventional dress forms. One example is a Chinese Palace Guard uniform worn by a sentinel in the Imperial army during the Qing Dynasty. The ensemble consists of eight pieces: an oversized coat, over-trousers split in the center covered with an embroidered panel, two shoulder ornaments made of heavy gilt bronze, and patches buttoning onto the jacket. The striking ensemble is made of heavy brocaded satin cloth with gold metallic threads enhanced by the addition of hundreds of bronze studs covering the surface of the fabric. Due to the weight of the fabric and size of the coat, the piece could not be exhibited on a mannequin in a pose with arms at the side. In addition, we had to account for the heavy epaulets on either shoulder, to ensure that each are supported without placing any strain on the fabric. Therefore, we enlisted the help of the IMA’s mount maker, Brose Partington. Brose removed the mannequin’s arms and created customized armatures that lock on.

The result is impressive. Not only does the pose alleviate strain on the fabric (had the arms been used, the sleeves would have bunched and crushed under the arms on either side) but the domineering uniform can now be viewed in its entirety.

Modified male mannequin in mount room.

On view in Material World.

Another case – a true labor of love, – was a customized mount made to scale for an Ethiopian cape and matching crown.  The cape and crown, composed predominately of lions’ skin and manes, were components of a warrior’s formal attire, most likely worn by a military or civilian official.  I liken this project to a quilt, completed in a quilting bee, where several sets of hands work on one piece. The design and pattern for the mount was created by Kathleen Kiefer; the IMA’s Senior Textile Conservator, while the ethafoam pieces were cut out, shaped and adhered by me. The padding, layered to mimic the shape of a man’s chest, was applied by Kathleen and our intern, while Paul Siebenthal (the IMA’s new mount maker) designed a base. Here is the breakdown of the process step by step.

Step 1) Pattern traced onto ethafoam sheets:

Step 2) Cutting the pieces out:

Step 3) Gluing the two forms together:

 Step 4 & 5) Padding and sculpting the torso with polyester needle punched batting:

Step 6) Lopping off the chin of a pre-made ethafoam head & shaving it down with sand paper – the chin was too pointy:

Step 7 & 8 ) Covering the torso and head with black cotton knit:

Voila! On view in Material World:

The armatures for the male mannequin will be removed after the exhibition closes (February 6, 2012) so the mannequin can be reused, while the mount created from ethafoam will be stored and used when the cape and crown are exhibited again.  To see all this handiwork in person, be sure to visit Material World soon!

(Image: Melissa Glenn, www.melissaglenn.com/default4.asp)

Project IMA: Fashion Unbound, is a runway fashion show organized by the IMA and will take place on Friday October 22, 2010 at the IMA in the Toby Theater.

But first, things first…..
We are also pleased to announce that the Indianapolis Museum of Art is inviting artists and fashion designers to submit original, one-of-a kind-works for inclusion in this spectacular, one-night only event. The theme for Project IMA: Fashion Unbound is uncanny silhouettes and unexpected materials. Utilizing re-purposed or used materials is strongly encouraged.

So if that sounds like you, please fill out the application form and submit all the materials to ProjectIMA@imamuseum.org by August 20, 2010.
Oh! And tell your friends.

Official details are below.

Call for Entries
Project IMA: Fashion Unbound
Indianapolis Museum of Art
October 22, 2010 / 7 pm

(Image: IMA flickr)

The Indianapolis Museum of Art is inviting artists and fashion designers to submit original, one-of-a kind-works for inclusion in Project IMA: Fashion Unbound, a runway fashion show organized by the IMA. The theme for Project IMA: Fashion Unbound is uncanny silhouettes and unexpected materials. Utilizing re-purposed or used materials is strongly encouraged.

Eligibility
Project IMA: Fashion Unbound is open to all artists ages 18 or above. Entries must be the exclusive work of the submitter or submitting team, completed within the last three years or created for this show. All works must be wearable objects to be modeled on a runway, and must exhibit unique, innovative, inspirational and creative artistry.

Evaluation will be based upon creative uniqueness, the originality of the work and the quality of the overall submissions.

Submission
Application form must accompany all submissions.
The application is limited to two entries; one or both may be used in the final runway show. Submissions must be accompanied by high quality digital images or proposed in illustrations accompanied by written descriptions. All submissions should identify artist, contact information, and primary construction materials.
Please submit all materials to ProjectIMA@imamuseum.org by August 20, 2010.

Requirements
Models for the runway show must be provided by the artists.
Mandatory attendance for both artists and models:
Run-Through / Wednesday, October 20, 2010 from 3-5 pm
Runway Show / Friday, October 22, 2010, from 4:30 pm to the close of the event
Artists must be willing to participate in collaboration with any and all IMA staff in regard to video recording, interviews, blog postings, and any other supplemental activities deemed appropriate by the IMA Public Affairs, New Media, or Textile and Fashion Arts departments.

Awards
Best of Show: A juried award of $500 will be presented the night of the fashion show
Audience Choice: One entry will be selected for recognition by the audience (Award TBA)
*Best in Show and Audience Choice may be awarded to the same artist.

Calendar

• August 20, 2010 Entries must be received electronically by Indianapolis Museum of Art.
• August 27, 2010 Notification of acceptance sent to artists by e-mail
• October 20, 2010 / 3-5 pm RUN-THROUGH (mandatory)
• October 22, 2010 / 7 pm Project IMA: Fashion Unbound (4:30 pm call for models and artists)

Download the application form HERE.

One of my favorite pieces in the IMA’s collection is a delicately textured work entitled Duvor, or ‘Communal Cloth,’ by Ghanian born artist El Anatsui. He lives and works in Nigeria as a sculptor and professor.

Duvor is a shimmery, undulating sculpture, made from thousands of collected bottle caps and copper wire, and reminiscent of fabric or chain mail. It hangs in the hallway of the second floor, between the African and Fashion Textile Galleries. Smart move, IMA. This work will stop you in your tracks.

Duvor is captivating, and it makes a strong statement about tradition, trash, beauty and modern Africa. Sustainability is a buzzword now popular in relation to global warming and going green, but not necessarily something I expected to find at IMA. He confronts the social problem of trash by transforming and repurposing it, sustainability at its most beautiful. The patterning is homage to the textiles of Western Africa, including Kente cloth, a woven textile which is known as nwentoma in Ghana.

Anatsui’s sculpture background is evident in the delicate forms created by the rippling and bunching of his ‘fabric,’ something I would guess is not easy to coax out of bits of metal. The installation process with the IMA team shows how he works with the metal until he gets it just right.

As I have thought about this work, fueled by recent readings, I have been thinking about how something like this is classified. Duvor is many things. It is inherently African. It was created in 2007, so it is contemporary. It is also technically a part of the Fashion and Textile collection here at the museum. I know that designating categories is how we find things; we sort by time, place, origin, material, color, size, etc. But I wonder if something like this can ever be all three, equally. Is it just our nature to want a primary category?

Ultimately, where does this object fit in? Who should decide where it goes? Ponder that, and discover some things you might not have already known.

• El Anatsui studied Sculpture and Art Education, and teaches at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

• Ghana and Nigeria are along the West coast of Africa.

• It is 5765 Miles from Indianapolis to Accra, Ghana.

• The word Kente comes from kenten, for basket.

• Kente cloth patterns are associated with stories and proverbs, which give the specific patterns their names.

• Recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy cost of processing it new.

• One recycled aluminum can saves enough energy to run a T.V. for 3 hours.