—By Katie Farthing
Bright colors, bold patterns, and cultural significance define the Ruth E. Carter exhibition, Afrofuturism in Costume Design, at the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation through Jan. 5. Visitors can explore hand-drawn sketches, real costumes, and Carter’s childhood sewing machine that tell this award-winning costume designer’s powerful story.
Carter is most well-known for the outstanding costumes she’s created and the multiple Academy Awards she’s collected for film costume design. The breadth of her work is staggering, with credits that include Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Do the Right Thing, Black Panther, Malcolm X, Coming 2 America, Amistad, and The Butler. But more than winning awards and gaining acclaim, this Massachusetts-born and Virginia-educated artist aims to focus “the eye to see beauty in culture.” JYFMuseums.org
Queen Ramonda costume worn by Angela Bassett in Black Panther. By SCAD Fash Museum
This article originally appeared in the December 2024 issue.
