Breaking Silence Video Tour

Explore the power of fashion in a changing world

"COVID-19 and fashion are not, in fact, antagonists. Rather, they are in dialogue, for they are natural interlocutors. They both live at the intersection of culture and the body." —Rhonda Garelick

On view now through March 26, Breaking Silence: Design for a Changing World features diverse esthetics that share a commitment to the essential role design can play as we navigate the challenges of our time. This exhibition is a collaboration with the College of Design’s Apparel Design Program and the Goldstein Museum of Design. The Apparel Design Program has contributed work by 12 designers, all of whom are candidates for the Bachelor of Science Apparel Design Program in spring 2021. Lizzy Cobb, Noah Garon, Annie Holmes, Jahanvi Kamra, Mia Minnema, Thao Nguyen, Lauren Nicol, Wendy Sandoval, Chia Thao, Darunee Thao, Chong Xiong, and Xilin Yang offer their individual and unique perspectives. Collectively, these designs confront and reflect upon the systemic issues in the fashion industry, utilizing the power of design to meet the needs of a changing world.

Seventeen handbags from the Goldstein Museum of Design's collection reflect the innovation and challenges of 100 years of plastics as a design material. This selection of elegant purses from the permanent collection of the GMD includes designers André Courrèges, Halston, Harveys, Charles Jourdan, Loop Designs, Pixie Mood, and Louis Vuitton.

The Gallery has invited Northrop Professor Brenda J. Child (American studies and American Indian studies) and Minneapolis designer Ka Oskar Ly to share their research and creative practices. The inspiring history of the Jingle Dress Dance Tradition is the subject of a documentary about Brenda J. Child's work. This film is seen alongside three glorious jingle dresses shared by University of Minnesota students Summer DuMarce, Jaeden King, and Benay McNamara. The stunning Queer Hmong French American esthetic of Ka Oskar Ly’s garment design is on display and explored in photographs by Nancy Musinguzi. Learn more about the exhibition.

Press Release

Access the full press release.

Gallery Hours

The Katherine E. Nash Gallery is currently closed to the public in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19. We are open by appointment only to University faculty, staff, and students. Schedule your appointment.

Accessibility & Parking

We are accessible via Metro Transit's Blue LineGreen LineBus route 2, and Bus route 7. Parking is available nearby on the street, at the 21st Avenue South ramp5th Street South lot, and 19th Avenue South ramp.

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