Dreaming of Chanel: A Patronising Nightmare

QUT Art Museum: Dreaming of Chanel
Sponsored by QueensPlaza

26 August- 16 October

Grant Cowen Untitled 2010

 Described as an exhibition about the dreams attached to clothing¹ Dreaming of Chanel is a frothy, insubstantial exhibition which panders to a romanticised view of the feminine. Curated by QUT fashion PhD candidate Nadia Buick one would expect more. In its limited regurgitation of content it is like walking through a pop-up version of the book of the same name by Charlotte Smith. Both the book and the exhibition are based around the Darnell collection of vintage dresses which Smith inherited in 2004 from her godmother Doris Darnell. The collection, which is considered to be the largest private collection in Australia² with pieces dating from 1790 to 1995, is certainly an impressive resource of textile craftsmanship. 

As a precursor to the exhibition QUT Art Museum senior curator Vanessa Van Ooyen organised a public lecture, on the 4^th of August, by Valerie Steele on the topic ‘Is Fashion Art?’³ This insightful discussion raised highly relevant issues in relation to the binary relationship of fashion and art; body and spirit; and feminine vanity and masculine genius within visual culture.

All the raw ingredients for a truly exceptional exhibition were at Buicks' fingertips. Unfortunately this potential was completely undermined by a copy-paste style of curating which leaves much to be desired in an academic context. The modest selection of garments chosen for the exhibition are displayed on manikins on raised platforms and are divided into four sections; A History of Women, F is for Fashion, Things I Treasure and Love Stories. The clusters of original images by textile illustrator Grant Cowan and the nostalgic, conversational anecdotes in the exhibition guide⁴ which correspond to the numbered manikins are the only additional information used to contextualise the works and are sourced directly from Smiths book. The emphasis on brand names, fashionistas, elite socialites and gossip titbits stands out as being incredibly inappropriate for a gallery context.  The suggestion that the privileged white women who owned the nine dresses in the first section in any way represent a “History of Women” is insulting. As for the inspired category of “Love Stories” to complete an exhibition of feminine fashion, it is a fitting summation of a clichéd, poorly thought out display of narrow minded notions about what it is to be a woman. Perhaps they took their sponsorship by QueensPlaza a little too seriously. 

Eileen Abood

1. Queensland University of Technology, 2011, ‘Dreaming of Chanel’, viewed 17 September 2011, <www.artmuseum.qut.edu.au>.

2. Feeney, K 2011, ‘Million-dollar wardrobe to stun Brisbane fashionistas’, Brisbane Times, viewed 19 September 2011, <www.brisbanetimes.com.au>.

3. Recording of lecture IS FASHION ART? : An evening with Valerie Steele

4. Dreaming of Chanel Exhibition Guide