Exhibit at Madison Museum of Contemporary Art connects fashion with science

Designs by Mount Mary University fashion program students and alumni will once again be on display at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (MMoCA) this winter.

The exhibit, “Fashion Focus | Imaginary i,” is a continued collaboration between MMoCA and the university that began in 2022. The show focuses on the creative connections between science, math and art.

“We were excited to continue the conversation between our institutions,” said MMoCA representative Christina Brungardt. “The students impressed us with their creative approaches and incorporation of mathematical concepts in their designs, including the Fibonacci sequence, cymatics, sound waves, and complex geometry.” 

The fashion projects build on Mount Mary’s embrace of STREAM (science, technology, reflection, engineering, arts and math) into the university curriculum. Work selected by MMoCA includes designs by current fashion students Mary Safranski, Mileisis Romero, Leann Wolf, Aniana Robertson, Ardin Daniels, Monserrat Delgado, Eliana Ruiz, Briana Coronado and Erin Van Handel. 

“Once students began considering this prompt, it quickly became apparent that math can literally touch anything and everything involved in fashion design,” shared Mount Mary fashion program chair Ashley Brooks. “The math-oriented theme truly pushed students' creativity, leading them to interpret very abstract material into tangible, beautiful and incredibly interesting garment designs.”

Mount Mary University fashion design graduates Patricia Golden and Nohemi Chavez are represented by their senior collections, as well as preparatory materials.

The pop-up exhibit will be on view through February 18, 2024. MMoCA is located at 227 State Street in Madison, adjacent to the Overture Center for the Arts. Admission is always free at MMoCA. Visit the MMoCA website for information and hours.