A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes

A Queen Within: Adorned Archetypes investigates symbols of womanhood and challenges conventional notions of beauty with experimental gowns, headpieces, and jewelry by boundary-pushing fashion designers and artists including Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Chromat, Studio Roosegaarde, Gypsy Sport, Selam Fessahaye and Iris van Herpen. The exhibition features more than 100 articles of fashion, photography and video presented in a dramatic gallery design.

The exhibition explores seven personality types of a queen or, metaphorically, a woman: Sage, Enchantress, Explorer, Mother Earth, Heroine, Magician, and Thespian. The story of each persona, which also forms the themes of the exhibition, is articulated through contemporary fashion, photography, film, and artwork.

In storytelling, archetypes exist as powerful figures that consolidate certain human universals. Through them, we may glimpse the essence and multiplicities of feminine resolve. Derived from recurring motifs in myths and fairy tales of world literature, these archetypes are used to help unpack our understanding of the visual symbolism of female identity. In this exhibition, each form of the queen stands as a powerful wellspring of creative inspiration for contemplating the relationship between dress, society and our shared history.

A Queen Within highlights a broad range of designers—from the internationally famous to the currently emerging—resulting in a deep inquiry into the diverse nature of the feminine. Gowns, wigs, shoes, and photographs are presented in immersive environments rich in symbolism, inviting visitors to peer into the private worlds of these deeply powerful feminine figures.

Developed and produced by Barrett Barrera Projects. Click here to visit their website.
Curated and designed by MUSEEA.