OBJECTS OF PERMANENCE

On view Sep 6, 2023 – Sep 14, 2023

Objects of Permanence, a special installation curated by Mellány Sánchez and presented during New York Fashion Week 2023 at Abrons Arts Center, seeks to spotlight the rich histories of the Puerto Rican and other migrant community labor forces in New York City’s garment industry.

This show spotlights the Lower East Side as a pioneering capital of the garment industry in the mid-20th century. Objects in the form of artifacts, both real and imagined, work to preserve and tell the story of LES residents of the past and present, whose labor was integral to the development of New York City as a fashion capital. Simultaneously, it will unite these voices of the past to the direct descendants and beneficiaries of their legacy—today’s fashion designers.

As a nod to the Tenement Museum’s exhibition Saez Velez Family Story, the installation also features historical objects, such as shears, photographs and more, on loan from the Tenement Museum, the first time a large trove of objects have been lent outside the institution.

For this show, NuevaYorkinos contributed a selection of photos and stories of New York Latinos and Caribbeans whose families worked in garment, textile, and factory industries throughout the 20th century.

Objects of Permanence is co-presented with the Tenement Museum.