Pop-up fashion exhibit at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art

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The "Isnina" dress by Maka Muhidin '22 was modeled during the student designer fashion show held in May, 2022. The colors and patterns of the dress reflect her personal story: Muhidin’s family fled Somalia and she lived in a refugee camp in Dadaab, Kenya, until the age of 6. Her collection and the work of seven other Mount Mary designers are on display at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art through January, 2023.

An exhibit showcasing the work of Mount Mary’s fashion program opens at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA) on Saturday, Dec. 17.

The exhibit, "Fashion Focus | Home," is a collaboration between MMoCA and Mount Mary, sparked by a broadcast news report highlighting themes found in student designs. This prompted MMoCA to reach out with the school about the parallels between student fashion and an exhibit of artwork currently on display at MMoCA.

The fashion projects share a common theme with MMoCA's current exhibition, titled "Home." Each of these projects reflects on memory, contemplation and reclamation of home.

“The Mount Mary designers found inspiration in the places and people that define home for them, resulting in creations that not only transport viewers, but also promote greater understanding of belonging, origins and even displacement,” said Christina Brungardt, MMoCA’s Gabriele Haberland Director.

"Mount Mary University is ranked one of the most ethnically and economically diverse universities in the Midwest, and our students understand the importance of their cultural diversity, too," said Elena Pitts, an assistant professor in the fashion design program who worked with MMoCA to coordinate this exhibit. "Our designers use the lens of fashion to voice their unique perspectives and communicate their heritage and identities."

Mount Mary University fashion design graduates Asma Dasan, Anastasia Gouchtchina, Maka Muhidin and Shoua Xiong are represented by their junior and senior collections as well as preparatory materials. Current students May Martinez-Gonzalez, Ro Storrs, Kailey Stout and Leann Monika Wolf have shared their process books, presentation folders and sketches illustrating their responses to home.

The pop-up exhibit will be on view through January 29, 2023. MMoCA is located at 227 State Street in Madison, adjacent to the Overture Center for the Arts. Admission is always free at MMoCA. Visit the MMoCA website for regular and holiday hours.