A year-long exhibition presenting authentic clothing designs made and modeled by Muscogee (Creek) people, captured through the vision of Macon-based photographers.

Armor and Adornment: Muscogee Fashion Rooted in Identitye is the seventh rendition of the Bright City initiative, a major public art experience bringing light and artwork to Macon's unique alleyways, presented by Dashboard in partnership with NewTown Macon.

Curated by Tracie Revis of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, featuring designers Jaime Roland, Julia Wakeford, and Luann Bear, and photographers Jave Bjorkman, Jessica Whitely, and Matt Odom.

Clothing has always been more than adornment for Southeastern Indian people—it is a living expression of identity, resilience, and belonging. Early garments of buckskin reflected a deep relationship with the land, each step of preparation imbued with prayer and strength, like an armor of protection—against enemies, harsh weather, or even as a disguise to fit in.

With the rise of trade, brightly dyed broadcloth became widely used. Its vibrant colors and durability made it a prized material, blended with traditional patterns and ceremonial designs. Over time, locally milled cotton from Macon, Georgia, was also traded and worn. Muscogee people adapted these new fabrics into garments that often mirrored the fashions of their settler neighbors, yet always carried a traditional twist—ribbonwork, beadwork, and color choices that spoke powerfully of cultural pride and survival.

This exhibition presents authentic designs made and modeled by Muscogee (Creek) people, captured through the vision of Macon-based photographers. It celebrates fashion as both art and identity, rooted in traditions yet alive in the present. Today, the modern Muscogee person can carry symbols of their culture into daily life—through earrings, a ribbon detail, a feather on a ballcap, or simply the attitude of resilience that has always defined their people.