Jean Shin’s Reverse Disappearing Act

How often do we consider the unseen hands and hidden faces behind the art we admire in museums? Or to that matter, the unseen forces behind the the majority of our modern life ? Jean Shin’s latest exhibition, The Museum Body, challenges us to reflect on these very questions. Through an innovative and labor-intensive process, Shin transforms everyday clothing from the Carter Museum’s staff into a large-scale textile portrait that speaks volumes about material consumption, community identity, and the often-invisible labor that sustains cultural institutions. In this interview, Shin delves into the intricacies of her creative process, the symbolic significance of her work, and the powerful narratives woven into each fabric piece. 

PATRON: Jean, your work has consistently explored themes of material consumption and community identity. How does The Museum Body extend or evolve these themes, especially through the use of clothing items from the Carter’s staff? 

Jean Shin: This exhibition brings our attention to the individuals behind the scenes that work at the Museum and to consider how their identities create the professional community at work. The staff and their often-invisible labor are the fabric of the institution—and yet often go unacknowledged. 

P: Can you describe the technical process involved in transforming everyday clothing into a large-scale textile portrait? What challenges do you face in maintaining the integrity of these personal items while reconfiguring them into a new form? 

JS: My process is very labor intensive. After collecting the clothing items from the employees, my studio assistants photographed, inventoried, and numbered each garment. Then we cut the fabric along the seams to separate the stitched area from the fabric, resulting in flat patterned pieces and sewn seams.  We stiffened each flat fabric, trimmed all the edges, and then applied adhesive. The seams were then all sewn together to create a soft, open structure.

We also created a digitally scaled version of each clothing piece that we then laid out on the computer to design how they would all fit onto the gallery walls. Like a complex puzzle—we position each piece until they all find their place in the overall composition.  There are many design revisions over the months to get this right. 

I want to create a feeling of harmony, so I placed similar colors together to create a palette that transitioned from one color to the next.  I also wanted each piece to have just enough space around it to highlight each shape on the wall.  Yet, each fabric piece was positioned in certain angles to flow dynamically from one shape to the next. Together, these massive walls create an immersive environment where the visitors are surrounded by the staff clothing—simultaneously appearing cohesive and yet fragmented. 

Although we have several Carter shirts with the museum logo, there were also incredibly personal items of clothing that expand the narrative of the work. Some individuals push the perimeters as well by donating some unusual items like a straw hat, a necktie and sheer stockings. We managed to work with it nonetheless and they became fun conversation pieces.

P: In choosing invisible and visible clothing items from staff members at the Carter, what statement are you making about collective identity and individual contribution within institutions? 

JS: There are hierarchies and tensions in most institutions and workplaces—the museum is no exception. The visiting services, guards, and educators are visible to the public. However, the vast majority of the staff work behind the scenes or when the museum is closed, performing labor that is critical yet under-recognized. Typically, the directors and board leadership become the face of the institution, but the day-to-day work often exists within the invisible soft power that shapes and influences work culture.

I see the complex structure made of clothing seams connected to the ceiling as symbolic of this soft power at work. This informal structure fills the space above; it is flexible, adaptive, and, like human networks, building bridges and making connections where there are gaps and divisions. It represents the real power of the people and the community.

P: Your exhibition Cut Outs and Suspended Seams presented at MoMA QNS was a significant moment in your career. How do you see ‘The Museum Body’ as a continuation of or a departure from that earlier work? 

The MoMA exhibition in New York was my very first solo museum show—it was a huge milestone for me early in my career. Twenty years later, revisiting this work in 2024 and remaking it for the Carter Museum meant that I could continue these themes of identity, labor and participation. It’s also an archive of the art community and reflects what has shifted in our workplace and institutions over the two decades.  

The workplace has changed tremendously especially since the pandemic.  There’s more flexibility and policies to protect workers; but equally as many layoffs.  At the same time, many aspects of the work culture and institutions haven’t changed as much as we’d like. This is my community and I love museums, but they are precarious and hard places to work.

P: Engagement with community seems to be a cornerstone of your practice. How do you hope the Carter’s staff and the wider museum audience will interact with or respond to this installation? 

JS: For the staff, the project was a celebration of each person and their contributions collectively at the Museum. Right before the exhibition opened to the public, we had a gathering and photo shoot with the staff who participated in the project.  They pointed out which item was theirs and many shared their stories and histories behind their clothing. They expressed their delight in “being seen.”

As an artist, I wanted to acknowledge the collaboration that happens within the museum employees every time an exhibition opens and that it’s ongoing.  I want the public who comes to the museum to understand that they are not only coming to see art, but that they are entering a workplace with over a hundred employees who seamlessly make their museum experience possible.  

How does the architecture of the Carter’s sloping gallery influence your installation design, and how do you anticipate the space will affect the viewer’s experience of your work? 

I’m fascinated that this very large gallery is a space between the iconic museum entrance and the new building. It’s a threshold and a portal. I want to transport visitors to pass through the museum body—to be with the community that works here.

P: Clothing often carries personal histories and memories. How do you handle these intangible aspects when creating art from such personal items? 

JS: When an object, especially clothing is worn often, they carry our histories and reveal traces of our lived experiences. If the visitor takes the time to have conversations, they can get to know the people behind these professional clothes. The staff are also brought closer when they share these stories with each other, bringing the community closer through art and participation. I also believe people will identify with a certain cut of fashion, a color of garment and it will trigger memories and evoke empathy.

P: What have been the most unexpected challenges or discoveries in preparing for The Museum Body?

JS: Maggie Adler, the curator I’ve been working with to realize this project, left the Museum after over 11 years of dedicated service. Thankfully, she waited until this exhibition opened to depart, but The Museum Body was her final exhibition. Experiencing the last week at the Museum with her during the installation was bittersweet and very emotional. I reflected on how one person can have a huge impact on an institution and its history. Maggie leaves behind an amazing curatorial legacy, and her presence will be greatly missed. She has been my biggest advocate, and it is sad for me to know she will no longer be at the museum while the work is on view for the next year.

P: What do you hope viewers take away from experiencing The Museum Body? Is there a particular emotion or thought you aim to evoke? 

JS: I hope everyone revels in being with the work. The Museum Body will make you feel more connected and aware of the people behind the scenes who make up this place. At the same time, it opens the visitor to question and better understand museum workers and this expansive community.

P: What programming can PATRON readers look forward to? 

I’ll be back for an artist talk in conversation with the curator Maggie Adler next year on March 13, 2025 during the Museum’s Second Thursdays event. Meanwhile, visitors can check out a great video that captures the making and installation of this work and the museum website also links to the staff sharing stories about their garments.  There’s a lot of rich content to explore.