In conjunction with the exhibition Lee Alexander McQueen: Mind, Mythos, Muse, renowned scholars will explore imagination, artistic process, and innovation in fashion and art to further examine the interdisciplinary impulse that defined McQueen’s career, legacy, and sources of inspiration at the upcoming Eighth R.L. Shep Triennial Symposium on Textiles and Dress.
One of the most significant contributors to fashion between 1990 and 2010, Lee Alexander McQueen (London, 1969–2010) was both a conceptual and technical virtuoso. His critically acclaimed collections synthesized the designer’s proficiency in tailoring and dressmaking with both encyclopedic and autobiographical references that spanned time, geography, media, and technology. The first McQueen exhibition on the West Coast, Mind, Mythos, Muse contextualizes the designer’s imaginative work within a canon of artmakers who drew upon analogous themes and visual references.
In response to the global pandemic, the Eighth R.L. Shep Triennial Symposium on Textiles and Dress will be presented on YouTube as a free video series, released from May through August 2022 on the last Tuesday of each month. Guests are encouraged to RSVP for a reminder email.
The series will begin with an interview with keynote speaker John Matheson, writer and fashion archivist, in conversation with co-curators Clarissa M. Esguerra and Michaela Hansen on May 31, 2022. Additional speakers include:
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Regina Drucker, collector and donor of the collection of Alexander McQueen garments displayed in Lee Alexander McQueen: Mind, Mythos, Muse
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Tushara Bindu Gude, Associate Curator, South and Southeast Asian Art Exhibitions, Los Angeles County Museum of Art
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Melinda Kerstein, Costume and Textiles Installation Specialist, Costume and Textiles, Los Angeles County Museum of Art
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Mei Mei Rado, Associate Curator, Costume and Textiles, Los Angeles County Museum of Art
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Britt Salvensen, Curator and Head of the Wallis Annenberg Photography Department and the Prints and Drawings Department, Los Angeles County Museum of Art
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Michael Schmidt, artist, designer, and creator of custom-made headpieces incorporated into Lee Alexander McQueen: Mind, Mythos, Muse
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Sharon S. Takeda, Senior Curator and Department Head, Costume and Textiles, Los Angeles County Museum of Art
R.L. Shep Triennial Symposia are supported by the R.L. Shep Symposium Endowment for Costume and Textiles, LACMA.
We look forward to presenting this series throughout the summer.
Lee Alexander McQueen: Mind, Mythos, Muse is on view in LACMA's Resnick Pavilion through October 9, 2022.