knit coat and scarf; bright and dark purple, black, brown, maroon, and tan; coat: checker ombre panels on front and back; black shoulder pad linings; pocket at each side; striped side panels; black chest and sleeves with purple squares; bands of purple ombre stars on front, back and sleeves; bobbles border bands of stars and buttons; black square buttons with flowers on upper body and ends of sleeves; proper right sleeve has band reading, "Don't fence me in / Give me land, lots of land under starry skies above" scarf: square, striped purple, brown, black, tan, stripe with scalloped edge

%C2%A9 Linda J. Mendelson

"Don't Fence Me In" coat and scarf, c. 1983

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Gift of Norma Minkowitzexpand_more  2018.59.1a,b

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Along with her contemporaries active in the field of wearable fiber art in the 1970s and 1980s, Linda Mendelson wrested marginalized techniques from the domestic sphere and placed them within the public realm of “fine art.” Mendelson’s preferred technique is knitting, and she is also known for incorporating phrases from songs and poems into her signature scarves and tunics. This coat features words and imagery (stars) from the popular 1934 song “Don’t Fence Me In,” which begins: “Oh, give me land, lots of land under starry skies above.” The song was written by Cole Porter, based on an original poem by Robert Fletcher, a poet and highway official from Montana.

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Details
Title
"Don't Fence Me In" coat and scarf
Artist Life
born 1940
Role
Artist
Accession Number
2018.59.1a,b
Curator Approved

This record is from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator, so may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.

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knit coat and scarf; bright and dark purple, black, brown, maroon, and tan; coat: checker ombre panels on front and back; black shoulder pad linings; pocket at each side; striped side panels; black chest and sleeves with purple squares; bands of purple ombre stars on front, back and sleeves; bobbles border bands of stars and buttons; black square buttons with flowers on upper body and ends of sleeves; proper right sleeve has band reading, "Don't fence me in / Give me land, lots of land under starry skies above" scarf: square, striped purple, brown, black, tan, stripe with scalloped edge

© Linda J. Mendelson

Because of © restrictions, we can only show you a small image of this artwork.