Peabody Essex Museum to Stage Andrew Gn Exhibition
The exhibition will sharpen the focus on the Singapore-born fashion designer and visual artist's fashion, art and design philosophy. The show reenvisions what was the designer's first retrospective, which debuted in Singapore at the Asian Civilisations Museum in the fall of 2023. The U.S. version is being organized by PEM in collaboration with the ACM in Singapore. The Paris-based designer will host an opening night party at PEM on Sept. 11 in Salem, Mass.
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Nearly 100 of Gn's works including clothing, accessories, original illustrations and digital media will be on display. In December 2023, the designer stepped back from his namesake company to focus more on art. One point of differentiation from the Singapore show is Gn's pledge to donate approximately 90 works from his Paris-based archive to PEM, which will 'allow the museum to exhibit a unique presentation that will draw substantially from its own holdings,' according to Petra Slinkard, director of curatorial affairs and the Nancy B. Putnam curator of fashion and textiles at PEM.
She said Gn's house belied its size as an independent label. 'With an ethos centered on empowering women, the House of Andrew Gn [which is now closed] created refined, maximalist looks combining Southeast Asian and Asian motifs with inspiration drawn from art and fashion history and nature. Executed with bold and unexpected color combinations, each of Gn's robust fashion collections is visually sophisticated and meticulously designed,' Slinkard said.
While ACM's presentation focused on celebrating 'an extraordinary Singaporean life and his major contributions to the nation,' PEM will celebrate Gn's 'unique and impactful career,' she said. The show will also 'lay more groundwork' about who Gn is, 'as he is less well-known to American audiences, and about Singapore as a city-state,' Slinkard said. The latter will 'draw connections for visitors between Singapore and Salem's shared histories as port cities that celebrating diversity and global reach.'
PEM's 10,000-square-foot show is meant to introduce new audiences to Gn and offer an inclusive and contemporary representation of Asia, South East Asia and fashion 'that is sure to inspire the next generation of designers,' Slinkard said. Gn's designs have been worn by such notables as Lady Gaga, Lily Collins during the third season of the Netflix series 'Emily in Paris' and by Queen Rania of Jordan. His global perspective is engrained in his upbringing, have lived in Singapore, Paris, London, Milan and New York. The designer started his company in Paris in 1995 with an emphasis on opulence, intricate embellishment and ultra-luxe craftsmanship.
Visitors at PEM will take in Gn's work and art in thematic sections that highlight his blend of Western aesthetics, art history and Asian decorative art and design that relay cross-cultural forms of Asian and Western art. His fashion blends artistic traditions, bold patterns, technical innovation and cultural influences.
'As one of the oldest continually operating and collecting museums in the United States, Gn's design practice and creative spirit closely align with our museum's celebration of art, culture, history and intellectual curiosity,' Slinkard said. 'For centuries, Asian artists have catered to varied markets around the globe, adapting and combining design motifs, and materials and techniques, to create new artistic expressions. From translucent porcelains and lustrous lacquers to sumptuous fabrics, these transcultural objects defy easy categorization.'
A self-described 'citizen of the world,' Gn is more than interested in art and history. He is also an avid collector of European and Asian furniture, porcelain and textiles, including many items that 'mirror PEM's collections,' according to Slinkard. The U.S. museum holds the largest and most comprehensive collection of Asian export art in the world and its diversity is in line with Gn's personal collection, she added.
The exhibition is being made possible by The Colby Foundation Ltd., Carolyn and Peter S. Lynch and The Lynch Foundation. Slinkard added that PEM is also excited to help its exhibition partner, the ACM, celebrate Singapore's 60th anniversary of independence.
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