Bygone eras have long resounded in the creations of today, and MoMu, Antwerp’s fashion museum, anchors itself in the echoes of attire through its new exhibition Echo: Wrapped in Memory, on view until February 25th. Softly peeling back layers, they uncover moments both intimate and ordinary – from infancy and childhood, to ageing and looking back. They delve into the symbiotic tales between our memories and the garments that hold them, all through the eyes of artist Louise Bourgeois, designer Simone Rocha and choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker.
Though these three pioneers are of separate generations, perspectives and artistic disciplines, they share a common thread, one that laces itself from garments to reminiscence. Their personal recollections transcend the individual, resonating with the broader human experience. “It gives me great pleasure to hold on to my clothes, my dresses, my stockings, I have never thrown away a pair of shoes of mine in 20 years […] The pretext is that they are still good – it’s my past and as rotten as it was, I would like to take it and hold it tight in my arms,” said once Louise Bourgeois (1911-2010).
In the core of this exhibition, the passing of time reverberates and imperfections are cherished as storytellers. Smells, stains and tears in clothing confront viewers with the lasting impact of the moment, inviting them to observe the various stages of degradation, marked by flaws, discoloration’s and traces of damage. Until February 25th, visit Echo at MoMu Antwerp and celebrate the nuances found between time and imperfection.
