Clothing as much about culture as fashion

The message behind Sunni M. Fass's upcoming exhibition is that successful communication requires a shared knowledge of culture, and this shared knowledge comes from an understanding of nonverbal communication in the forms of dress and adornment. Fass, a graduate student in the Folklore and Musicology Department, curated "Dress Codes: Wearing Identity," as part of her museum practica studies at the Mathers Museum of World Cultures. A complement to the museum's main exhibit, "Anthropology of the Body," Fass's exhibit is geared mainly toward children, but all ages can benefit from a viewing. "I think that when it comes to children's education, what often works best is to help kids relate an unfamiliar topic to something they already understand in their own lives," Fass said. "I decided that clothing is something that children deal with constantly, and it is a very accessible aspect of more complicated ideas of identity and culture."

Fass was motivated by her work in social sciences, in which she said she is forced to think about such complex topics as fashion vs. function, parental vs. peer pressures and stereotypes, among others. In instances of ethnic and religious garb, these topics take on a deeper meaning in the wake of Sept. 11. In her exhibit, Fass said she wants to explain the importance of understanding other cultures so communication gaps can be bridged. "At the end, I hope to have conveyed a sense of how deeply non-verbal communication can be embedded in culture, while also showing how people across the world often try to communicate the same kinds of information," she said. The exhibit is a collection of clothing, jewelry, personal ornaments and accessories from a variety of different countries and ethnic groups. Necklaces from Pakistan, a pilot's headgear from Alaska and Turkish textiles are all items displayed in the gallery. In her exhibit, Fass points out what we wear can convey information about who we are, what we do, what we believe and who our families are. Through photographs, maps and text, she is able to explain how a piece of clothing or jewelry can convey a message. Often that message can only be interpreted by people who are in on the code. For example, in India and Pakistan, married women wear a nath, or ring in their nose to indicate their marital status, but in certain nearby regions, a nose ring can represent a religious affiliation. Unless a person is familiar with a particular culture, they may misinterpret the meaning. Elaine Gaul and Matthew Sieber, co-curators of Exhibits at the Mathers Museum, said they believe the exhibit introduces visitors to a new way of looking at clothing and other ornamentation, as well as highlighting outstanding student work. "Sunni's exhibit showcases the possibilities for university students to do significant work -- both in their own academic development and for the museum's programs," said Gaul. The museum practicum, offered by the department of Anthropology, allows students, like Fass, to gain hands on experience in a museum while earning academic credit. People are constantly communicating in nonverbal avenues, and this exhibit explores how people around the world define themselves by what they wear. "I see Sunni's exhibit as an opportunity for people to consider the cultural aspects of how we dress the body-both in our own culture and in other cultures as well," Gaul said. Judy Kirk, the museum's director of publicity, said Fass did an excellent job putting together the exhibit. "I am very impressed with how Sunni made the exhibit explain that what we wear says a lot about our social status, history and lives, even if we don't mean it to," Kirk said. Fass said her hope is people will come away from her exhibit with more understanding and respect for other cultures in areas of clothing and ornamentation. She also said she hopes visitors will be able to take a more introspective look at how they construct their own identities through the clothing they choose to wear. "Ideally, I hope to have exposed people to new places and cultural practices, and I'd like visitors to leave with a new perspective on cross-cultural similarities and differences related to clothing and adornment," Fass said. "I'd like people to think differently about how they interpret both the familiar and the unfamiliar, and I'd like them to think more critically about first impressions." A reception for the exhibit will held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 6. The reception is free and open to the public.