>>> Previously on view at the UNC Charlotte Dubois Center, Projective Eye Gallery | Summer 2024 

A Legacy of Elegance places twelve historically-inspired costumes by fiber artist, Margarette Joyner, in conversation with archival portraiture from the 19th century, curated by Kimberly Annece Henderson. Drawing upon trends in formal attire spanning several centuries, Joyner merges traditional and contemporary African textiles with cowry shell embellishments; thus, reimagining high-society garments iconography of cultural significance across many African-descended populations.

This interwoven narrative of fashioned textiles and early-format photography pays homage to a rich legacy of self-expression through dress, connecting visual histories past and present.