New Isabelle de Borchgrave exhibit examines life-size paper costumes

Traveling and soaking up culture in new places is often one of the best ways to get a different perspective on life or a career.

Isabelle de Borchgrave is certainly proof of that.

The Belgian artist had her creative life completely transformed after a 1994 trip to the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Although fashion was always part of her repertoire, in the wake of this visit de Borchgrave started crafting trompe l’oeil paper costumes — or detail-oriented, realistic depictions of ornate clothing.

A broad selection of these creations comprise the Speed Art Museum’s forthcoming exhibit, “Isabelle de Borchgrave: Fashioning Art from Paper,” which was put together by the Dixon Gallery and Gardens of Memphis and in cooperation with the Isabelle de Borchgrave Studio.

"Paper is the most simple and accessible of artistic mediums," said Erika Holmquist-Wall, Mary & Barry Bingham Sr., Curator of European & American Painting & Sculpture at the Speed Art Museum.

"The fact that Isabelle can create the effect of velvet, lace, brocade, or silk from a humble roll of kraft paper has got to be seen to be believed."

A comprehensive career retrospective

The exhibit, which opens on Feb. 19 and is on display through Aug. 22, features four de Borchgrave collections.

The first one, “Papiers à la Mode,” covers 300 years of fashion and style history, encompassing Elizabeth I to Coco Chanel.

The second, “The World of Mariano Fortuny,” features clothing that might be seen in 20th-century Venice. The third collection, “Splendor of the Medici,” stays in Italy, touching down in Florence to spotlight icons sporting ceremonial dress.

And the fourth and final collection, “Les Ballets Russes,” is a tribute to designers who worked with this early 20th-century Parisian ballet company — a roster of big names that includes Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Sergei Diaghilev and Léon Bakst.

"In a way, re-creating this attire is a way of understanding the care and thoughtfulness that went into the originals," Holmquist-Wall said. "And, as an artist, it’s clear she’s inspired by some of the most visually stunning periods of our cultural history."

An exhibit full of modern cultural resonance

“Fashioning Art from Paper” marks the first time all four of de Borchgrave’s collections have been displayed together. Seeing this comprehensive work exhibited in one place provides fascinating nuance and insights.

"Being able to showcase multiple collections of the artist’s work has been a great way to get into the artist’s brain," Holmquist-Wall said. "While the wildly avant-garde costumes of the Ballet Russes dance troupe don’t seem at first glance to have much in common with the elaborate courtly attire of the de’ Medici banking family of the Florentine Renaissance, in Isabelle’s work, you’ll see that they are, indeed, connected."

At the end of the day, the exhibit allows visitors to not only admire de Borchgrave’s impeccable craftmanship and artistic diligence, but also the ways fashion and style reflect cultural history at large.

"Isabelle’s work is entirely about the creative impulse," Holmquist-Wall said. "It’s a show that’s filled with delight and surprises. There are a lot of 'How did she do that?' moments in the exhibition.

"I wanted to create an immersive experience for our visitor: They’ll be immediately dropped into different time periods as they move through the show," she added. "I learned so much about the history of costume and fashion and textiles from a show featuring paper sculptures. It was a joy to design the installation."

“Isabelle de Borchgrave: Fashioning Art from Paper” is on display between Feb. 19 and Aug. 22, 2021, at the Speed Art Museum, Kentucky’s largest art museum.