Presence In Absence
Bullock's Wilshire
Critical and Curatorial MFA Exhibition
2016
Abstract
Bullock's Wilshire
Through a layer of white gloves, the silk feels too delicate, it might split with a sneeze. Who wore this, I think, imagining myself wearing it knowing full well it would never fit.
The University of California Irvine Historical Costume Collection contains garments spanning a multitude of sources, locations and eras. Also termed the “Costume Study Collection,” the archives serve as a resource for UCI students and drama productions. However, there are critical gaps in information about the collection. The items lack any accession records. The presence only of high-end garments raises questions about the criteria for preservation. The clothes on display in this exhibition are mid 20th century women’s garments from the now closed luxury department store Bullock’s Wilshire in LA. From formal to sportswear, these items offer a glimpse into the grandeur and opulence that once flourished in mid-century central LA. Offering an intimate physical look at items which seem so distant for the viewer, the exhibition asks both what can be gained from what is present in the archive and what can be learned from that which is missing. Bullock's Wilshire explores how the preservation of luxury has affected the archive and how the privileging of specific information guides our studies.
Bullock's Wilshire
Critical and Curatorial MFA Exhibition
2016
Abstract
Bullock's Wilshire
Through a layer of white gloves, the silk feels too delicate, it might split with a sneeze. Who wore this, I think, imagining myself wearing it knowing full well it would never fit.
The University of California Irvine Historical Costume Collection contains garments spanning a multitude of sources, locations and eras. Also termed the “Costume Study Collection,” the archives serve as a resource for UCI students and drama productions. However, there are critical gaps in information about the collection. The items lack any accession records. The presence only of high-end garments raises questions about the criteria for preservation. The clothes on display in this exhibition are mid 20th century women’s garments from the now closed luxury department store Bullock’s Wilshire in LA. From formal to sportswear, these items offer a glimpse into the grandeur and opulence that once flourished in mid-century central LA. Offering an intimate physical look at items which seem so distant for the viewer, the exhibition asks both what can be gained from what is present in the archive and what can be learned from that which is missing. Bullock's Wilshire explores how the preservation of luxury has affected the archive and how the privileging of specific information guides our studies.
