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Fashion and The Field Museum Collection: Maria Pinto
Exhibition Juxtaposes Artifacts with Chic, Contemporary Clothing
Lovers of art, style, and history alike will revel in The Field Museum’s newest exhibition, Fashion and The Field Museum Collection: Maria Pinto. Opening September 14 and running through June 16, 2013, the exhibition explores the world of design, mixing clothing hand-selected from the Museum’s collections by esteemed Chicago fashion designer Maria Pinto, and contemporary pieces created by Pinto and exclusively displayed at The Field Museum.
In 2010, Pinto selected objects that inspired her in collaboration with Alaka Wali, the Museum’s Curator in North American Anthropology. Driven by her designer’s eye, Pinto chose 25 Museum garments and adornments, attracted by their form, texture, and colors. Fascinated by the range of materials people used, the pieces’ meticulous craftsmanship, and their sheer beauty, the two women developed the exhibition. Pinto then drew connections between these pieces and her own designs, seven of which are featured in the exhibition.
Maria Pinto’s artistic perspective provides a fresh look at artifacts like a crocodile skin vest, a spectacular parka made of bird skins, and a necklace made of woven monkey fur. An incredible 18th century Chinese theatrical headdress inspired Pinto to design an entirely new ensemble of women’s wear, also on exhibit. A translucent Inuit raincoat made of seal intestines is paired with Pinto’s “Tema” dress from her spring 2010 collection, creating a striking juxtaposition and revealing much about aesthetic principles of both that transcend time and geography.
Visitors are invited to engage with these objects in a new way and examine details they may not have noticed otherwise. The exhibition asks visitors how they can be inspired in their own creative pursuits by thinking of any Field Museum object as an object of beauty.
This exhibition is free with basic admission to The Field Museum, located at 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive. For further information, visit fieldmuseum.org.
This exhibition is organized by The Field Museum and Maria Pinto. Major sponsor: Sara Lee Foundation.
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