Iroquois Museum Features Fashion Designers in Buckskin to Bikinis Exhibit

HOWES CAVE, NEW YORK --Glamour and glitz are in style at the Iroquois Indian Museum as its new exhibition,   “Buckskin to Bikinis: Haudenosaunee Wearable Art,*” opens on April 2 for the 2015 season.

The exhibition is designed for the fashion lover in everyone.  The show highlights the work of well-known Iroquois designers including Tammy Beauvais, Bruno Henry, and Niio Perkins and introduces many upcoming Iroquois fashionistas.  Diversity, artistry, elegance, and story are elements that can be viewed in this well-timed exhibit.

Haudenosaunee cultural concepts of peace, power, and righteousness take shape with beads, bangles and bling to create garments and accessories to wear to the beach, for special occasions, or admire in a glass museum case.

“From hand-painted bikinis to high-heeled sneakers, street wear to evening wear, Iroquois fashion is distinct, contemporary, and infused with Haudenosaunee cultural symbols, traditional materials, and political punch,” said Exhibition Curator Colette Lemmon.

During April and November, the Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday through Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m. on Sunday. From May 1 through Oct. 31, Museum hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays. 

Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for children ages 5-12. Special group, student and senior pricing are available. For more information, contact the Museum at 518-296-8949 or visit www.iroquoismuseum.org.

Celebrations!

To celebrate the exhibit opening of “Buckskin to Bikinis,” a reception will be held from 1-3 p.m. on Saturday, April 4.  Dr. Jessica Metcalfe will give a special talk. Dr. Metcalfe is Turtle Mountain Chippewa from North Dakota and writes about Native American art, fashion, and design. She owns and operates the Beyond Buckskin Boutique, which sells Native American fashion.

About the Museum

The Iroquois Indian Museum is an educational institution dedicated to fostering understanding of Iroquois culture using Iroquois art as a window to that culture.  The Museum is a venue for promoting Iroquois art and artists, and a meeting place for all peoples to celebrate Iroquois culture and diversity.  As an anthropological institution, it is informed by research on archaeology, history, and the common creative spirit of modern artists and craftspeople.

The Museum represents the world’s most comprehensive collection of modern Iroquois art work. This collection celebrates the ancient unity of the Iroquois still expressed in the creative spirit of today’s artists. A special interactive children’s area introduces young visitors to Iroquois traditions through a variety of crafts, games and technologies. A guide-posted Nature Park of 45 acres is open year round for walks, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.

*This exhibition is supported in part with grants from the Coby Foundation, LTD and the New York Council for the Humanities.