Out of Fashion

In 1815, when the first cotton mill was established in Lincoln County, NC, it stood as one of the physical and symbolic cornerstones of an industry that would come to define the economic and cultural being of North Carolina. Following the offshore exodus of the 1990s, today North Carolina is rebuilding through hybrid development, with one of the fastest growing markets in the state being the export of intermediate/unfinished goods that overseas firms turn into finished products. These materials are in a raw, in-between state—their promise yet to be realized—much like the textile industry of the 21st century, and our current understanding of it.

The evolving enterprise of textiles provides the impetus and inspiration for Out of Fashion. Gathering 13 artists and designers from across the state—and across generations—this exhibition is a platform to reimagine the possibilities of a once fundamental industrial staple of North Carolina. Featuring performance art, large-scale site-specific work installed in both the museum’s galleries and on the grounds, Out of Fashion mines the histories of fashion to consider regenerative practices from the mountains to the coast.

Organized by Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA), Winston-Salem, NC Curated by Steven Matijcio, Curator of Contemporary Art, SECCA

SECCA an affiliate of the North Carolina Museum of Art, a division of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources. SECCA is also a funded member of the Arts Council of Winston-Salem and Forsyth County. Additional funding is provided by the James G. Hanes Foundation.