The Curatorial Project: UNLABEL – Fashion Beyond Categorization

Clothes make the man or woman: it has been a very long time since people wrapped themselves in fabric to merely cover their bodies or protect themselves against the elements. Fashion has always been a means of self-presentation, of differentiation, as well as a projection surface for social constructs. The understanding of ‘gender’ is therefore subject to social, political and cultural attributions. The relevant norms – which become visible in fashion – change over the course of time and, depending on the social context, take shape differently. What kind of clothing is regarded as masculine or feminine and how might such attributions be reconsidered? The exhibition examines this question using current work by eight fashion designers and artists, who confront standard gender norms with alternative designs and concepts.
From the idea to the completed concept, the exhibition has been developed and implemented by MA Art Education students who are specializing in Curatorial Studies. As a part of ZHdK, the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich is involved in training and supporting prospective curators, and this ambitious and imaginative project in the Toni-Areal builds a further bridge to teaching.