Pattern Language: Clothing as Communicator

Put those thoughts about “wearable art ”—the tie-dyed caftans and bat-winged tunics made from elaborately loomed, jewel-colored fabrics—right out of your head. With artists like Joseph Beuys, Yoko Ono, Yinka Shonibare, and The Art Guys, this exhibit is more like a bizarre, intellectualized version of Project Runway. Spanning five decades, its thirty-nine garments and other sundries deal with the social and cultural messages transmitted by clothing (e.g., Beuys’ iconic felt suit), as well as those we convey with our own choices (Patrick Killoran’s modified T-shirt and sweatpants). The 2004 reissue, in camouflage fabric, of Mimi Smith’s 1966 maternity dress, with its strategically placed, see-through plastic dome, is all too apt on many levels. We’d love to hear Heidi Klum improvise a response to that. 333 East River Rd., Minneapolis; 612-625-9494; www.weisman.umn.edu”