IMA TO PRESENT MATERIAL WORLD

FROM COURT DRESSES TO COUTURE, THE OBJECTS IN MATERIAL WORLD, ON VIEW AT THE INDIANAPOLIS MUSEUM OF ART (IMA), FROM 22.APRIL.2011 THROUGH TO 5.FEBRUARY.2012, WILL FEATURE EXTRAVAGANT ORNAMENTATION OF TEXTILES AND PERSONAL ADORNMENT FROM CULTURES AROUND THE WORLD WHILE HIGHLIGHTING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF TEXTILES IN DISPLAYING WEALTH, STATUS AND POWER. THE EXHIBITION WILL SHOWCASE ITEMS ADORNED WITH LUXURIOUS MATERIALS INCLUDING GOLD AND METALLIC THREADS, BEADS, SHELLS, MIRRORS, SEMI-PRECIOUS STONES, BONES, FUR AND FEATHERS, RANGING FROM A BUDDHIST BONE APRON TO DIOR AND CHANEL COUTURE PIECES, SPANNING SEVERAL CENTURIES TO THE PRESENT DAY. 'MATERIAL WORLD JUXTAPOSES EXOTIC TEXTILES FROM THE IMAs EXTENSIVE COLLECTION THAT ARE NOT TYPICALLY EXHIBITED TOGETHER, PROVIDING A RARE OPPORTUNITY FOR VISITORS', SAID A MUSEUM SPOKESMAN. 'THIS EXHIBITION UNITES SOME OF THE MUSEUM'S MOST DAZZLING PIECES TO ILLUSTRATE A THEME PREVALENT IN CULTURES AROUND THE WORLD, THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MATERIALISM AND WEALTH.' REPRESENTING A VARIETY OF CULTURES FROM ASIA, AFRICA, EUROPE AND THE AMERICAS, MATERIAL WORLD TRACES HOW DIFFERENT SOCIETIES USE LUXURIOUS MATERIALS IN RITUALS AND CUSTOMS. THE EXHIBITION WILL FEATURE ROYAL GARMENTS, PERSONAL ATTIRE AND FURNISHINGS, CEREMONIAL COSTUMES AND RELIGIOUS GARMENTS. AMONG THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE EXHIBITION ARE AN INTRICATELY EMBROIDERED RUSSIAN COURT GOWN DESIGNED BY CHARLES FREDERICK WORTH, A NORMAN NORELL SEQUIN MERMAID DRESS, AN INDONESIAN SKIRT ADORNED WITH SHELLS, A BILL BLASS SNAKESKIN EVENING JACKET AND A GROUP OF FASHION AND CEREMONIAL FEATHERED HATS.
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