About the Exhibition

Creating The Exhibition

THE DRESSMAKER’S DAUGHTER MEETS
EASTERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY

A fortuitous 2017 meeting at an author talk between author, Hanna Perlstein Marcus and Anya Sokolovskaya, Associate Professor of Costume Design at Eastern Connecticut State University, led to a discussion about Hanna’s as yet unrevealed collection of her mother, Sidonia’s, original creative designs. After a visit to view the collection with Laura Crow, Professor Emeritus of Costume Design at the University of Connecticut, all parties agreed that the beautiful handmade garments, along with other artifacts, should be curated and displayed as a museum exhibition. Funds were obtained from the Connecticut Humanities Fund, the Windham Textile and History Museum, the Hochberg Committee for Holocaust and Human Rights Education of Temple B’nai Israel, and a Faculty Research Grant from Eastern Connecticut State University to mount the exhibition.

With Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU) as sponsor, the Windham Textile and History Museum in the town of Willimantic, CT, the former home of the American Thread Company, was chosen as the perfect location for the initial exhibit. After more than a year of planning, which included ECSU faculty, staff, and students in various disciplines, and museum volunteers, the initial run occurred from February 8 to April 28, 2019 to wide acclaim.

Heartened by the positive reaction to the exhibition, Eastern Connecticut State University decided to sponsor a traveling exhibition, providing access to new visitors to learn more about the garments, their creator, Sidonia, and how the personal story helps to understand a time in history, which still remains relevant to contemporary social issues.