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Reassemble


  • Watermark Art Center 505 Bemidji Avenue North Bemidji, MN, 56601 United States (map)

The works in this exhibition are made from used clothing that have been taken apart and put back together in new ways. Artist Rachel Breen works with used clothing to gesture towards the reality that consumers in the global north purchase more than we need and discard vast amounts of clothing, that often wind up in landfills in the global south and not in our own backyard.

In taking apart and making anew, the process of making the work points to the need to create new more just and sustainable systems. These works are made as an expression of solidarity with garment workers and serve to create a space to reflect on the potential for the collective power needed to change the global garment industry and protect our planet.

Breen’s interest in labor rights stems from histories of Jewish activism in the garment industry and also her family’s history as immigrants. Her focus on people who sew garments visually emphasizes we are part of a global community.

Earlier Event: January 19
Gestures of Resistance
Later Event: February 17
No Bodies: Clothing as Disruptor