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Costumes tell the story

The “Alexandria” costume comes from Imathia, Macedonia and is unique in the stark nature of its colors and its warrior-like image.

Is it possible to tell a story without pictures or words? Sacramento State’s exhibit of folk costumes from the Macedonian region of Greece illustrates that not only is that possible, it can be downright fascinating.

The costume exhibit, titled “Images of Macedonia: From Antiquity to the Present,” will be on display from Sept. 5 to Oct. 6 in the University’s Library Gallery. The exhibit illustrates the diversity of the region and tells the story of the history and culture of the area. Presented by Sacramento State’s Hellenic Studies Program, the display will include costumes from Greek villages such as Florina, Naoussa, Alexandria and Orini.

Sacramento State professor and director of Hellenic Studies Katerina Lagos said clothing told a detailed story of a person then. “It was apparent where in Greece a person was from based on the detail of their clothing—embroidery and colors, among other features, were specific to the region. Ancient artwork is reflected in the 19th and 20th Century costumes. The clothing features really demarcate the history of the region and represent a cultural identity.”

A reception will be held on Sept. 8 from 6 to 10 p.m., featuring a presentation from Professor Elizabeth Barber of Occidental College that will shed light on the historical backgrounds of the costumes in their Greek and Balkan contexts.

Professor Carol Thomas of the University of Washington, Professor Ipek Yosmaoglou of the University of Wisconsin, and the Hellenic Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Yannis Valinakis will give presentations on other aspects of Macedonia throughout the fall semester in the Senator Nicholas Petris Room of the Tsakopoulos Hellenic Collection, Library 3023.

The exhibit and lectures are made possible by the Tsakopoulos Foundation, the Annunciation Church of Sacramento and private donations.

The exhibit is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. More information is available from Lagos at 278-7103 or klagos@csus.edu.