Elements of Humanity: Garments of San Juan Hill

A curator of dress, costume designer Sabrina Guillaume-Bradshaw takes us on a tour of the San Juan Hill neighborhood with her collection of garments from the 1910s–1950s. During the past year, Lincoln Center continues its commitment to the Legacies of San Juan Hill, with the goal of exploring the largely working-class Manhattan neighborhoods that existed in and around the area where Lincoln Center was built. A huge swath of the area, home to more than 7,000 families and 800 businesses by mid-century, was razed in the 1950s as part of the Lincoln Square Development Plan. This exhibition will represent individuals who inhabited the district, from pastors to musicians, nurses to neighborhood children, as their garments highlight their occupation, status, position, and influence within the communities. The artist creates social sculptures for our examination, allowing for a study of human behaviors, societies, and cultures as it relates to our neighborhood’s history.