SCAD presents Derrick Adams’ "Patrick Kelly, The Journey” at SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film

Adams’ vibrant large-scale collages and sculptural works honor the joyful spirit and legacy of fashion designer Patrick Kelly

ATLANTA, GEORGIA—The Savannah College of Art and Design presents Patrick Kelly, The Journey, an exhibition of work by multidisciplinary artist Derrick Adams, now on view through July 19, 2020, at the globally renowned SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta.

Adams is a Brooklyn-based artist who works in painting and sculpture as well as performance, video, and sound. His work focuses on the fragmentation and manipulation of structure and surface, exploring the shape-shifting forces of popular culture on self-image.

Patrick Kelly, The Journey emerges from Adams’ extensive exploration into the archive of the late African-American fashion designer Patrick Kelly (1954–90). A prolific and groundbreaking artist, Kelly was famously the first American to be admitted to the Chambre Syndicale du Prêt-à-Porter, the prestigious governing body of the French ready-to-wear industry. Adams immersed himself in the Kelly archive at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in New York, where he discovered a trove of correspondence, sketches, swatches, photographs, and other memorabilia. The archive also included a proposal for a book about Kelly’s life written by his friend, the esteemed poet Maya Angelou, who delivered the address and received an honorary degree at SCAD Commencement in 1998. Adams’ works reference Kelly’s legacy as a formalist who infused social context and humor into his creations. The exhibition presents Adams’ large-scale abstract collages and sculptural works that incorporate Kelly’s vintage clothing patterns, iconic fabrics, bold colors, geometric forms, and embellishments.

Kelly spent several formative years in Atlanta in the 1970s, and the exhibition highlights his connection to the city through a selection of his original pieces and memorabilia loaned by his friend Carol Martin, an Atlanta resident and former model.

“I admired Patrick’s tenacity to get his name out there, back in the day, before clothing lines were even called brands,” recalled Martin. “I was mesmerized by how he would make something you thought wouldn’t work, but it would always work. This exhibition validates that it’s okay to think outside of the box. That’s what Patrick did.”

Patrick Kelly, The Journey is curated by Alexandra Sachs, executive director of SCAD FASH and Atlanta exhibitions. It is presented as part of SCAD deFINE ART 2020, the university’s annual program of exhibitions, lectures, and performances held Feb. 18–20 at university locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia. Adams is a close friend of SCAD and was the featured lecturer at deFINE ART 2019. The artist is also a contributor to the upcoming exhibition catalog Jacob Lawrence: Lines of Influence, published by the university, which will be released in February 2020.

Patrick Kelly, The Journey embodies the university’s ongoing mission to celebrate the work of black artists. In recent years, exhibitions at SCAD FASH and the SCAD Museum of Art have featured work by artists including Fred Wilson, Hank Willis Thomas, Carrie Mae Weems, Jacob Lawrence, Lorraine O’Grady, Radcliffe Bailey, André 3000, Toyin Ojih Odutola, and Stephen Burrows.

SCAD: The University for Creative Careers

The Savannah College of Art and Design is a private, nonprofit, accredited university, offering more than 100 academic degree programs in more than 40 majors across its locations in Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia; Hong Kong; Lacoste, France; and online via SCAD eLearning.

SCAD enrolls more than 15,000 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 100 countries. The innovative SCAD curriculum is enhanced by advanced professional-level technology, equipment, and learning resources, as well as opportunities for internships, professional certifications, and collaborative projects with corporate partners. In 2019, the prestigious Red Dot Design Rankings placed SCAD as the No. 1 university in the U.S. and in the top two universities in the Americas and Europe for the third consecutive year. Career preparation is woven into every fiber of the university, resulting in a superior alumni employment rate. In a study of Spring 2018 SCAD graduates, 99% were employed, pursuing further education, or both within 10 months of graduation.

SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film

SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film celebrates fashion as a universal language, garments as important conduits of identity, and film as an immersive and memorable medium. Situated within the SCAD Atlanta location, SCAD FASH focuses on the future of fashion design, connecting conceptual and historical principles of dress. The museum welcomes visitors of all ages to engage with dynamic exhibitions, captivating films, and enriching events.

Supported by the university’s strong global presence and connections to renowned contemporary fashion designers, filmmakers, and creative professionals around the world, SCAD FASH is an integral part of the SCAD educational experience.

Like the award-winning SCAD Museum of Art, SCAD FASH serves as a creative resource for students of all ages and a wellspring of inspiration for visitors. Through programming that engages the university’s broad array of academic disciplines, SCAD FASH offers diverse exhibitions, films, installations, performances, and events to enliven and inspire the greater community year-round. Each program is designed to engage and appeal to visitors with varied backgrounds and interests, from textiles and jewelry to photography and film. Past exhibitions have featured the work of designers Pierre Cardin, Carolina Herrera, Mary Katrantzou, Guo Pei, and Oscar de la Renta. Photographic exhibitions have featured the work of Jonathan Becker, Bill Cunningham, and Omar Victor Diop. Exhibitions are accompanied by curated film series that complement programming. Past films include The First Monday in May, Funny Face, The Leopard, and Ovation for Oscar, among others.