26 Nov 2019

Cori Champagne: Ready Familiar

Ely Center of Contemporary Art

Reviewed by Eddie Hawley

Cori Champagne's clothing provides necessities for coping with a changing planet. While admiring her ability to make functional pieces that are not just wearable, but attractive, one can't help but feel consternation about their necessity.

Presented by Art Shape Mammoth at the Ely, "Ready Familiar" displays her visually arresting ensembles of what she calls "transformational clothing." The exhibit focuses on utilitarian garments for climate extremes, displaying pieces such as a hood and vest designed to protect the wearer in a sandstorm and a shirt with a built-in personal raft that the wearer can use in a flood. Wall pieces in the show offer insights into the research and testing that go into them, illustrating how the clothing changes to meet the needs of its user. Sales of her limited series of Shishmaref hoods/helmets, named after the island in Alaska, benefit Indigenous Climate Action.