Adorned

On view Sep. 9, 2022 to Feb. 5, 2023

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In times of political, social and economic strife, adornment is our balm of choice.

Adorning self and space through jewelry, clothing, and physical transformation is a simple but potent pleasure. To adorn is to conjure beauty, whether in a daily practice or one saved for special occasions.

We don glitter and gold for a night on the town and anoint ourselves with holy water and incense for the spiritual plane. We invest in objects to further our personal style: a pair of hand-me-down earrings that make us feel powerful or the jeans that fit exactly right. We decorate ourselves in the antique and the modern, the heirloom and the trinket, the statement piece and the impulse purchase. We use these decorations to both stand apart and to signal to others within our desired communities. Once adorned, we feel confidence and comfort in this chaotic world.

With this exhibition, over 70 artists explore what it means to be our true selves through the act of adornment. We reflect on the adornment of self and space, from the sacred to the mundane, the holy to the profane.