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By Monique Bos Savannah residents Leftwich and Ursula Kimbrough have loaned a coat by noted French couturier Paul Poiret to the Savannah College of Art and Design. The coat, which Leftwich Kimbrough estimates was made around 1925, is on display through the end of the summer in the first-floor Photo Gallery at the Earle W. Newton Center for British-American Studies in Kiah Hall, 227 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. Kimbrough said the coat’s original owner was a relative of his through marriage, Mary Sefton Thomas. Thomas’ father, Vincent Thomas, trademarked and ran the Harriet Hubbard Ayer cosmetic company until his death around 1920. His widow Lillian commissioned stained glass work for his mausoleum; the glass artist was Robert Dodge, brother of Kimbrough’s grandfather, painter William de Leftwich Dodge. Ultimately Lillian Thomas and Robert Dodge married, and Mary Thomas and Kimbrough’s mother grew up together on Long Island. “It was a very interesting family,” Kimbrough said. Lillian Dodge continued to run HHA until around 1950. “She made all kinds of toiletry articles for ladies,” Kimbrough said. She “was considered to be the highest paid woman executive for her time in this country.” Lillian Dodge herself was interested primarily in altruism, Kimbrough said. “Her intention was not to be an extremely wealthy person, although she became that. Her true intentions were … a lot of philanthropic interests.” Her daughter, owner and likely purchaser of the Poiret coat, “just grew up in the lap of ultimate luxury,” Kimbrough said. “She was very cultured, very distinguished through the exposure she had from her mother and the people they came into contact with.” Kimbrough said the family’s wealthy background explains how they were able to purchase items by such noted designers as Poiret, even though this coat was probably made after his peak period.
Both mother and daughter traveled widely to such locations as Paris, London and Rome, Kimbrough said. The coat contains an Italian retailer’s label, but he is unsure whether it was purchased in Italy or another country. This is one of the questions about the coat that he hopes members of the SCAD community can answer. His loan of the coat is “for the college’s benefit but also hopefully to enable someone to research it a little bit,” he said. “I thought it would be a good idea to take the coat out of its box and give it some exposure and maybe get some background.” He also is interested in knowing more about the era in which the coat was made, when exactly it was purchased and what materials were used in the manufacture. In the Newton Center, the coat is flanked by two images from noted fashion photographer Richard Avedon, whose work is on display in the upstairs Print Gallery as part of “Special Edition: Fashion Photography from the Rhoades Collection.” Poiret (1897-1944) is credited with introducing more comfortable fashions for women after the corsets and restricting designs of the Victorian era. Students provide humanitarian aid through art By Monique Bos Savannah College of Art and Design students have developed an artistic project to provide relief to people in the Mexican state of Chiapas. The project is called Movimiento Hunab Ku, after the Mayan “place where all knowledge came from to the people,” said Ernesto Hernandez, a senior in the broadcast design and motion graphics department, who has spearheaded the effort. “It’s the place where all knowledge of the arts, of science, of everything comes from … the center of the universe.” The plight of indigenous people in Chiapas, many of whom are descended from the Mayans, has drawn attention from international human-rights supporters. Local residents often lack running water, basic medical care and education, and have struggled with the Mexican government over land rights for the past decade. “The people are mistreated, especially indigenous people who don’t even speak Spanish,” said Hugo Aguilera, a painting student who is involved in the mural project. Hernandez said his inspiration for the effort came from seeing international artists who had volunteered in Chiapas. Movimiento Hunab Ku provides a means of contributing for those who “don’t have money or a way of getting down there,” he said. “That way, we could show our support through art.” He said the project quickly took on momentum as students shared their ideas. “Everyone pretty much supports the cause down there,” Hernandez said. The project started in Savannah June 4 with creation of a mural. The art and artists will travel to several cities, including San Diego; El Paso, Texas; and Juarez, Storreon and Mexico City, Mexico. In each place, local artists will contribute a 12-by-18-foot mural about a specific theme such as freedom or education. “In every city the local people will paint their own mural,” said Aguilera. In addition, the students plan to hold art workshops in some parts of Mexico for “people with no chance to go to art school,” he said. The artists hope to raise money for the people of Chiapas through sales of T-shirts and food donated by local restaurants. “It’s growing,” Hernandez said. “We have bands that are playing.” The Savannah effort took place at the Starland district’s monthly First Friday event and featured food from local restaurants such as Jalapeño’s. About 12-15 artists contributed to the mural. When the traveling project reaches Chiapas, the artists will donate their murals, which will be exhibited in the Southern Mexico state. All funds raised also will be given to local people in need. “We’re just trying to do something with our art to help,” Aguilera said. Hernandez agreed. “It’s really nice because everybody’s gotten involved, and everyone’s donating their time, their talent, and nobody’s asking for anything in return.” ‘Diva’ showcases unusual materials Students in fashion professor Doris Treptow’s Introduction to Fashion Design courses faced an unusual assignment: to design a dress for a diva using non-traditional materials and hand sewing. After completing the assignment, students voted on the best designs from each class, and winners were exhibited in Henry Hall, 115 W. Henry St., May 26, 6-8 p.m. Dresses were constructed from chip wrappers, rose petals, tissue paper, coins, toy cars, bubble wrap and other innovative materials. Although the exhibition officially lasted only a day, some designs will continue to be displayed throughout Henry Hall during the summer. Alumna’s printmaking work on display Painting alumna Jessica Lambert displays her printmaking work in “Pressed Transition,” on display through July 29 at the May Poetter Gallery, 342 Bull St. In her work, Lambert explores cycles and creative techniques that have resonated with her. |
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