Wausau, Wisconsin: Coordinated by the Central Wisconsin Hmong Professionals, join Bee Vang-Moua, Director of the Hmong Language Program at the University of Minnesota, as she shows and shares examples of Hmong garments and headwear from various regions and clans on Thursday, February 2 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Woodson Art Museum. Vang-Moua is also known for her “Hmong Clothes Lookbook” page on Facebook, which features a variety of traditional Hmong clothing and contemporary remixes of Hmong garments.
Then, on Saturday, February 4, learn from Hmong American community members about the traditional Hmong garments and headwear used in celebration and ceremony during two fashion shows at the Museum. The Central Wisconsin Hmong Professionals invite all to enjoy the fun and fashionable introduction to the artistry and meaning behind regalia produced and worn with pride by different Hmong clans. The shows will run from 11 a.m. until noon, and from 2 until 3 p.m.; Q&A follows each runway show.
These events are in conjunction with the “The Global Language of Headwear: Cultural Identity, Rites of Passage & Spirituality” exhibition on view at the Woodson Art Museum through February 26.
From headdresses and helmets to turbans and crowns, the exhibit explores the vital role of ceremonial headwear through diverse cultural customs, beliefs, and rituals. Featuring headwear from forty-three countries spanning Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North and South America, with most from the mid to late twentieth century, many types are still worn today for revelry, ritual, and rhythms of everyday life. Headwear’s usage and purposes share themes: cultural identity; power, prestige, and status; ceremonies and celebrations; spiritual beliefs; and p
rotection. White wedding veils of the West symbolize purity, for example, and Vietnamese brides’ open-crowned red turbans symbolize good fortune. The exhibition was jointly organized and toured by Stacey W. Miller and International Arts & Artists, Washington, D.C.
On view concurrent with the Global Language of Headwear exhibition, “Stormy Kromer: Evolution of a Classic” was organized by Woodson Art Museum curator of exhibitions Shannon Pueschner with assistance from Gina Jacquart Thorsen, CEO, Jacquart Fabric Products, home of Stormy Kromer, in Ironwood, Michigan.
For additional details about these and other programs, check the Woodson Art Museum’s online events calendar, visit https://www.lywam.org/exhibitions/current-exhibitions/, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Always admission free.
Woodson Art Museum
Hours:
Tuesday – Friday 9am – 4pm
First Thursday of each month 9am – 7:30pm
Saturday – Sunday Noon – 5pm
Closed Monday & holidays
Admission: Always Free Admission
Phone: 715.845.7010
E-mail: info@lywam.org
Location: Franklin and 12th Streets, Wausau, Wisconsin 54403-5007
(700 North Twelfth Street)
Online: www.lywam.org
