Masterpiece: Exploring Art in Fashion

When: October 17, 6:30-7:30 (Doors open 6:00 pm) 
Cost: Free (Registration Required)
Where: Bata Shoe Museum 

Join us at the Bata Shoe Museum for an enlightening panel discussion that delves into the multifaceted world of art and its profound impact on fashion. This engaging event will explore essential questions such as: What is art? Why do we collect it? And how do we perceive art in the realm of fashion? Whether you are an art aficionado, a fashion enthusiast, or simply curious about the dialogue between these two worlds, this panel talk promises to inspire and inform. Our panel will feature the Bata Shoe Museum's Director Senior Curator Elizabeth Semmelhack, Deputy Director & Chief Curator of the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) Julian Cox, Creative Director, Curator, and founder of D.PE Agency Ashley McKenzie-Barnes, and Co-founder of Makeway, Canada’s pioneering sneaker boutique for women Abby Albino. Don't miss the chance to be part of this vibrant conversation!

Agenda
6:00 pm – Doors Open
6:30 pm to 8:00 pm – Panel talk
8:00 pm – 9:00 pm – Galleries Open
9:00 pm – Doors Close

Please present your ticket at the Front Desk upon arrival. This panel will take place in-person on the B1 level at the Bata Shoe Museum. Registration is required and seating is not guaranteed.  Please contact shan@batashoemuseum.ca with any questions.

 

About The Panelists:

Elizabeth Semmelhack 

As Director and Senior Curator at the Bata Shoe Museum, Elizabeth applies her extensive cultural art history background to guiding the museum mission forward and exploring the multiple roles and meanings of footwear through innovative and engaging exhibitions. With over 20 exhibitions curated, Semmelhack’s most recent exhibition is Art/Wear: Sneakers x Artists.

Named by FASHION Magazine as one of the world’s top five game-changing fashion curators, Semmelhack has been featured in articles and interviews as well as appeared on numerous television and radio programmes. Semmelhack’s award-winning publications include almost 30 articles and chapters as well as numerous books and catalogs. Her most recent publications include: Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks (2022), The World at Your Feet: Bata Shoe Museum (2020); Collab: Sneakers x Culture (2019) and Christian Dior by Roger Vivier (2019)

Julian Cox 

Julian Cox joined the Art Gallery of Ontario as Deputy Director & Chief Curator in 2018. He leads the curatorial team in designing meaningful art experiences that embrace multiple—and often challenging—points of view. He focuses on exhibition planning in addition to developing the AGO’s significant collections, positioning Toronto and Ontario’s rich artistic landscape in the widest context possible to ensure the Gallery is inclusive and welcoming, and reflects the diversity of the communities they serve.

Ashley McKenzie-Barnes - 

Ashley brings over 18 years of experience as an award-winning creative director, curator, and academic professor. Recently she launched D.PE (Diverse, Progressive, Experiences) Agency, which focuses on reflecting a diverse creative community while hiring equitably. Her artistic projects and cultural programming have spanned across clients and institutions such as; CIBC Square, EY, CBC, The City of Toronto, Nuit Blanche, Harbourfront Centre, Ontario Culture Days, Universal Music, Scotiabank, Destination Toronto, TEDx Toronto, Ontario Culture Days, Manifesto Festival of Arts & Culture, Johnnie Walker, Bombay Sapphire, Rhum Barbancourt, 19 Crimes Wine, Truly Seltzer, the notable Lauryn Hill, and many more.

 Abby Albino

Throughout her career, Abby has led PR & Marketing strategies for many sports & entertainment brands including Nike Toronto, Toronto Raptors, Toronto Maple Leafs, Foot Locker & many more. Currently, she is the Head of Brand and Business Strategy at Canada Basketball. As a proud child of immigrant parents, Abby also co-founded Rise Tribe, a non-profit aimed to power the next generation of Filipino-Canadian leaders. Her love of sneakers, streetwear culture & building community led her to co-found Makeway, North America’s first and only sneaker boutique for women and run and funded by women. The store was created to provide women a much-needed space to feel celebrated & to cultivate a community that has been, for so long, underserved.