Friday, March 2, 2012

Making the Case for Vintage

Making the Case for Vintage

The template arrived a few days ago for the layout of a museum installation I’m mounting in May. Six glass cases, their shapes and dimensions sketched out for me on a couple of 8½" x 11" fax pages, will hold an as-yet undetermined number of vintage hats, which will be on display over the next year.

I’ve been pulling millinery marvels out of the Mobile Millinery Museum  archives for some time now (at least a hundred of them are in a holding pattern at the moment), and I’ve spent time considering which pieces to select for the year-long exhibit. What a joy it is to lift the lids on so many decorative hat boxes stacked in rows according to their size and shape, and find the tissue wrapped, forgotten treasures inside. Often, the labels are as intriguing as the hats themselves  Once the final decision is made, I’ll be happy with my choices, but space restrictions being what they are, many beautiful pieces will have to be left behind.  

The same can be said of my life. The cases, empty and transparent at the moment, remind me of the years ahead. How will I fill them? What experiences and pursuits will I bring with me from the past into this new adventure? Time being what it is, some things will have to be left behind. 

Can anyone offer advice on this process? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

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