Identity Is.... | Museum of Arts and Design
Michael Sylvan Robinson
Bill Bull Dresses
Identity Is..., 2021
Installation view of Identity Is... at the Museum of Arts and Design, New York
Lame fabric, printed cotton, sequins, beads, silk, and cotton thread, and applied embellishment
Photo by Jenna Bascom; courtesy the Museum of Arts and Design.
Identity Is…. designed by Michael Sylvan Robinson
Written by Fiona Perkocha
Identity is the essence of who we are, how others perceive us, and how we view ourselves. It's like a performance, a display of specific traits. For some, identity offers a sense of security by defining us in our complex human existence. However, it can also be oppressive, as it imposes stereotypes and characteristics that can overshadow our true selves rather than uplift them.
Michael Sylvan Robinson, a fiber artist known for his queer activism, ruptures the confines of identity by depicting it as wearable. Inspired by the theme of “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion,” Robinson crafted a fantastical coat and train for the fashion-theater icon Jordan Roth to don at the Met Gala in 2021. Robinson uses this opportunity to demonstrate the dynamic and constructed nature of identity.
The incorporation of queer imagery and quotes from Roth remind us of how we should view identity and give solace to those burdened by it.
In celebration of Pride Month, the Museum of Arts and Design is proudly showcasing the coat titled Identity Is… in the Barbara Tober Grand Atrium. This exhibit, which began on March 29, 2024, will be on display until August 4, 2024.
Michael Sylvan Robinson
Bill Bull Dresses
Identity Is..., 2021
Installation view of Identity Is... at the Museum of Arts and Design, New York
Lame fabric, printed cotton, sequins, beads, silk, and cotton thread, and applied embellishment
Photo by Jenna Bascom; courtesy the Museum of Arts and Design.
The coat itself is a vibrant, hand-stitched collage, overworked with meticulous beading and embroidery. The stitching of the coat mimics the construction of identity. It is not singular nor static. Instead, it is built over time with each new experience. Additionally, the coat is not glued to the body nor is it integral to its function. Rather, the coat is an accessory. As easily as you can put on the coat, you can take it off. Roth explains to Vogue Paris that by absorbing this view, he “might wear this thing we call identity more loosely, and perhaps even shed it or change it”.
This theme is echoed throughout the whole coat in the symbols and text fragments. The multicolor bees and beehives mirror the building process of identity, unit by unit. Moreover, embroidered lines such as “the dance of making and unmaking and remaking” emphasize identity’s fluidity. It is a constant creation, with each act remaking who you are. With words like “unraveling and unraveling,” we see that our understanding of identity should not merely include the idea of its construction but also its ability to be destroyed.
Michael Sylvan Robinson
Bill Bull Dresses
Identity Is..., 2021
Installation view of Identity Is... at the Museum of Arts and Design, New York
Lame fabric, printed cotton, sequins, beads, silk, and cotton thread, and applied embellishment
Photo by Jenna Bascom; courtesy the Museum of Arts and Design.
Beyond illustrating how identity is formed, the images interwoven throughout the coat serve to protect those burdened by their identity. Robinson’s incorporation of the eye, a long-known symbol for warding off evil, imbues the coat with a magical power of protection. With its dual significance of watching and shielding, the eye acknowledges the perilous act of being perceived while exuding a sense of safety.
Robinson’s coat continues to impact us as it reminds us of the fragility of the “self” and our power to take control of our narrative—whether that be defining our identity or taking it off. The piece also provokes a feeling of healing and celebration for the LGBTQ+ community, reminding us of how far we have come and how much we can still grow.
