What Hat is That? A Collector's Journey of Discovery - with Stacey Miller of Hat Horizons
Join Stacey Miller, curator of "The Global Language of Headwear: Cultural Identity, Rites of Passage, and Spirituality" and owner of Hat Horizons, as she presents a talk on her journey as a hat collector and world traveler. How did her collection begin, and how did she acquire all of her hats? What is the significance of cultural headwear, and what can it tell us about the world and the societies we live in?
This talk was presented at Ruthmere Museum on Thursday, July 11th, 2024 as part of "The Global Language of Headwear" exhibit. "The Global Language of Headwear" was on display at Ruthmere's Havilah Beardsley House from July 5th - September 27th, 2024.
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"The Global Language of Headwear: Cultural Identity, Rites of Passage, and Spirituality" presents 89 hats and headdresses carefully selected from a private collection of more than 1300 extraordinary pieces of international headwear.
This exhibition features hats from 42 countries across Asia, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and North and South America, and is a tribute to the stunning diversity of the world’s cultures. With a few exceptions, the pieces are from the mid-to-late 20th century, and many are still worn today in parts of the world for revelry, ritual, and the rhythms of everyday life. More than utilitarian objects of material culture, each hat is a unique work of art—not merely because of the skill required to make it, but also as a singular expression of creativity and cultural meaning.
The profusion of shapes, styles, and materials, as well as the ingenious use of embellishments to decorate the hats, are limited only by imagination. The Global Language of Headwear is organized into five thematic sections: Cultural Identity; Power; Prestige and Status; Ceremonies and Celebrations; Spiritual Beliefs; and Protection. Hats and headdresses communicate timeless ideas—not only of beauty, but also of what it means to be human.
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"The Global Language of Headwear: Cultural Identity, Rites of Passage, and Spirituality" was jointly organized by Stacey W. Miller and International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC.
International Arts & Artists in Washington, DC, is a nonprofit arts service organization dedicated to increasing cross-cultural understanding and exposure to the arts internationally, through exhibitions, programs and services to artists, arts institutions and the public. Visit ArtsandArtists.org.