WORN is an exhibition featuring a collection of works reimagining, repurposing, and responding to the roles that clothing, accessories, and other wearables play in our lives. Through worn objects, we distinctly become a physical manifestation of our individual and cultural identities.

Positioned on the body, wearables serve as powerful tools for celebrating traditions and embodying subcultures. The wearable often upholds social roles and normative values but can perform as a rebellious statement, confronting and disrupting societal expectations. The meanings attached to our clothing inform how we make sense of and generate our own identities. In this current climate, we believe it is more important than ever to use our voices through art to bring attention to the significance of bodily autonomy.

The Cleveland Institute of Art's junior visual arts class has become a community through consistent collaboration. Our class makes an effort for balance, extending ourselves to support one another with the respect and care we want to see in the world. In making this exhibition, we saw the way clothing affects our community and created work to reflect that power. Each piece explores the individual artist's relationship with clothing and the personal meaning they find in what is placed onto bodies. We invite viewers to meditate on what is worn and how this influences the world we all inhabit.

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