The Model Wore an Armchair: On Fashion and Performance

The world fell in love with the blazing colours of Vincent van Gogh’s paintings, now regarded as timeless masterpieces. Yet behind these iconic images lies the story of a man who lived in poverty, wore threadbare clothes, and endured rejection. How did the Sunflowers series come into being? Who was the woman whose faith ensured that Van Gogh’s work would reach the world? And how have his paintings found new life in the collections of Yves Saint Laurent, Margiela, Moschino, and others? Through profound suffering, Van Gogh revealed the beauty of the world and created an enduring visual language. Despite disappointment, he never lost faith in creativity or humanity. He faced sorrow while searching for light within it, leaving a legacy of hope and love. A journey through the bond between brothers, nature’s healing power, and the ways colour, texture, and material continue to be reinterpreted through fashion. A portrait of an artist who lived in solitude, and of a world that never stops falling in love with him.

The world fell in love with the blazing colours of Vincent van Gogh’s paintings, now regarded as timeless masterpieces. Yet behind these iconic images lies the story of a man who lived in poverty, wore threadbare clothes, and endured rejection. How did the Sunflowers series come into being? Who was the woman whose faith ensured that Van Gogh’s work would reach the world? And how have his paintings found new life in the collections of Yves Saint Laurent, Margiela, Moschino, and others? Through profound suffering, Van Gogh revealed the beauty of the world and created an enduring visual language. Despite disappointment, he never lost faith in creativity or humanity. He faced sorrow while searching for light within it, leaving a legacy of hope and love. A journey through the bond between brothers, nature’s healing power, and the ways colour, texture, and material continue to be reinterpreted through fashion. A portrait of an artist who lived in solitude, and of a world that never stops falling in love with him.

How can one find beauty in the darkness of war? Can it even hold meaning when humanity is shrouded in shadow? In the lecture “Secrets of Heroines”, exhibition curator Ya’ara Keydar invites the audience on a behind-the-scenes journey into the making of “Heroines: Fashion and Hope in World War II.” In this talk, Ya’ara shares the curatorial process and the personal experience of engaging with such a complex subject in the aftermath of October 7. Curation is a process that involves collaboration with professionals, moments of success and failure, mistakes, and a great deal of magic. Ya’ara will tell how a single tiny thimble led to an entire exhibition. She will reveal the mysteries uncovered during the research, share moving stories from the production process, and speak about sources of inspiration something we all need now more than ever. ​ This is a heartfelt lecture about a journey between sorrow and beauty, between loss and hope and above all, a deep belief in women and humanity.