John Massey,
Versailles, 1985, serigraph. Purchase, Chancellor
Richardson Memorial Fund and Wintario matching grant, 1986
(29-117) Photo: Bernard Clark
Exhibitions
Adornment
Historical Feature Gallery
13 August - 13 May 2012
Whether to catch the eye, assert status, arouse desire or fulfill an ideal, adorning the body is a universal social pursuit. By pairing accessories of late 18th- to early 20th-century elegance with contemporary works of art, this exhibition engages the decorative and visual arts in a dialogue on the drive to adorn, while luxuriating in a visual appeal structured by fashion, tradition and personal delectation.
Adornment features works on paper by artists Hamish Buchanan, Bernard Clark, Dana Holst, Steven Livick, John Massey, Ed Pien, Tony Scherman and Jeannie Thib. The exhibition also offers a rare opportunity to view recently conserved accessories from the Art Centre’s holdings - gloves, fans, hats, purses and shoes, a pocket watch and parasol, the ingenious work of anonymous seamstresses, tailors and craftspeople.
Jan Allen and Alicia Boutilier