Art2Wear is sculpture for the body

A Night at the Opera by Sharon Kilfoyle: a wearable art shawl

A Night at the Opera (detail) by Sharon Kilfoyle

One of six mantles by Anita Luvera Mayer, loaned by the Historic Costume and Textile Museum of Kansas State University. A wearable art mantle

One of six mantles by this famous artist

Our new gallery exhibit features art that can be worn – but would you? How would it feel to wear a work of art? Four artists create sculpture for the human body.

Anita Luvera MayerBéatrice Coron, Sharon Kilfoyle, and Marjorie Schick create expressive and exciting artwork that are designed to be worn. The exhibit runs April 8 – May 15, 2016 in the Alice C. Sabatini Gallery.

Fashion and art collide in this popular genre, Wearable Art.

Begun in the 1970’s, individuality of style was a direct reaction to mass-produced clothing as well as the need to express oneself.  Contemporary artwear consists of individually designed pieces that are meant to be animated by the human body.

Beatrice Coron - Red Cape 2011 cut Tyvek cut Tyvek wearable art

Red Cape by Beatrice Coron

Artists have pushed the edge of this genre to include wearable sculptures. Whether woven, dyed, painted, wire, paper, or recycled items, all materials and techniques may be utilized in these unique creations.  All the artwear in this exhibit can be worn out and about, but would you?

This exhibit is sponsored by the Library Friends of Art.

Thanks to the Topeka Handweavers and Spinners Guild and Topeka Wearable Art Club

Our library has a very cool art collection, and I get to be in charge of it. I started drawing when I was 4 years old, and never stopped making art. I want to do more than show you art, I want to help you understand it, relate to it, and 'get' it. Art lets us share what it is to be human.