SEAM, an exhibition of altered, donated clothing intended to confront consumption and waste in the fashion industry, will be open from Nov. 8 - Nov. 15 in the Appalachian State University HOW Space. (182 Howard St.)
“The SEAM team has worked incredibly hard on this interactive exhibition,” says Phyllis Kloda, Dean of the College of Fine and Applied Arts. “We believe it will be a powerful exhibit for members of the Appalachian community and invite all to join us in learning from a talented group of designers.”
From a collective interest in apparel and textiles, a group of interdisciplinary graphic designers sought to modify consumer behavior by altering unwanted clothing. Through screen printing and patching, the pieces in the show have been transformed from undesirable articles of clothing to pieces of value.
SEAM’s mission is to create an environment where visitors become collaborators and are compelled to further alter the pieces and take them home. Overall, the designers hope to motivate participants to consider how they buy clothing and inspire creative habits when it comes to fashion.
The artists responded to the individual garments through screen printing patterns, which were sourced from scanned textile scraps, essentially printing textiles onto textiles. The typography featured on the pieces works as literal instructions for how the clothing can be altered by the wearer.
A set of 12 white t-shirts acts as an alternative form of book, where page turning mimics how a consumer looks through a clothing rack. The narrative, a compilation of statements confronting consumption in the fashion industry, subverts that mimicked action and suggests alternatives.
Participants will be invited to attend the panel discussion with the SEAM team on Nov. 10 at 5:00 p.m., the Opening Reception on Friday, Nov. 10 from 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. to select clothing they would like to reclaim, and the Pop-Up (Work)Shop Saturday, Nov. 11 from 12:00 p.m. -3:00 p.m, where participants can learn how to put a fresh spin on their selected clothing items. All events will take place at the HOW Space.
For more information on this exhibition, please visit the exhibit Instagram account, @seam.exhibition or email designer Kellee Morgado at morgadokl@appstate.edu.
About the College of Fine and Applied Arts
Appalachian State University’sCollege of Fine and Applied Arts is a dynamic and innovative group of seven academic departments, bringing together a variety of perspectives, experiences and real-world education to provide unique opportunities for student success. The college has more than 3,000 undergraduate and graduate majors. Its departments are Applied Design, Art, Communication, Military Science and Leadership, Sustainable Development, Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment, and Theatre and Dance.
About Appalachian State University
Appalachian State University, in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains, prepares students to lead purposeful lives as global citizens who understand and engage their responsibilities in creating a sustainable future for all. The transformational Appalachian experience promotes a spirit of inclusion that brings people together in inspiring ways to acquire and create knowledge, to grow holistically, to act with passion and determination, and embrace diversity and difference. As one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina system, Appalachian enrolls about 18,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and graduate majors.
