Sarah
Silvas-Bernstein
Curator | Instructor | Facilitator
Clothing & Textiles | Gender & Power
Curatorial & Teaching Portfolio
About
Me
Sarah Silvas-Bernstein
Over the past 10+ years, I have held various titles and progressive leadership roles in higher education academic, student, and administrative affairs. I am currently focused on scholarly curatorial projects and classroom instruction in the fields of clothing and textiles, and gender and power studies.
I offer subject matter expertise in historic and contemporary clothing and textiles, psycho-social and cultural meanings of dress, exhibition curation, collections management, sustainability, and fashion industries - including buying, merchandising, and retailing. Furthermore, as a critical feminist scholar my curatorial and pedagogical approach integrates expertise on the topics of social justice, equity, inclusion, as well as power-and-equity consciousness.
Curatorial Approach
I believe that at its heart, the role of the curator is to educate, inspire, and provoke an exhibition’s community. I focus my curatorial approach on telling stories that connect the past to contemporary topics of interest within critical feminist and cultural studies frameworks. Specifically, my curatorial work reflects considerations of social power dynamics and the meanings of diverse lived experiences through material culture methodologies.
Moreover, an exhibition’s objects possess meanings beyond material form. To support this stance, I approach the curatorial role as interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, and most importantly collaborative and feedback-driven. To this end, I take responsibility for active engagement with mentors, peers, visitors, and relevant community stakeholders to respectfully and accurately share the stories of people, places, cultures, and experiences.
Exhibition Portfolio
Selected Curatorial Projects
01
Kindred Keepsakes: Honoring the Heirlooms and Heritage of James Galanos
May 2023 - December 2023
Curator, Avenir Museum
Family stories of cherished American designer James Galanos (1924-2016) told through clothing and textiles, shared through the perspectives of those he held dear, and reflected in memories of love made tangible through crafting and gifting.
02
Where is Every Body? Mannequins and Mounts
May 2021 - December 2021
Co-Curator and Project Manager, Avenir Museum
This exhibition is both a commentary on the lack of diversity among mannequins as well as a nod to the pandemic that kept so many people at home. It spotlights the fact that historically, mannequins have not reflected a diversity of body types, abilities, races, gender identities and ages.
03
Thrift Style
January 2023 - May 2023
Installation Support, Avenir Museum
04
Nostalgia Mode: Fashion and Sentimentality in the 1970s
January 2023 - May 2023
Mannequin Dressing and Installation Support, Avenir Museum
Teaching Portfolio
Teaching Philosophy
I am a learner-centric instructor and leader focused on helping students become critical, power-conscious thinkers through the formation of intellectual, psycho-social, and cultural connections. I excel in applying critical feminist epistemology and pedagogical lenses to interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches, integrating fashion studies, history, psychology, sociology, ethnic studies, and women’s studies through material culture methodologies. I look to the depth of meaning imbued within physical objects to provide research-based instruction, share relatable stories, draw intersectional connections, and encourage individual and interpersonal reflection.
Social justice, educational equity, bidirectional feedback, and respectful classroom experiences are all key to my pedagogical approach to forming communities of belonging. I foster power-and-equity-conscious spaces by offering students a range of perspectives and ideas through universal learning design, engaging dialogue, and active participation in classroom activities. My approach focuses on building resilience and responsibility, creative and critical thinking, effective communication, tenacious problem-solving, and whole-hearted enthusiasm for lifelong learning. In short, my teaching philosophy centers on dynamic academic environments where students are inspired to explore, collaborate, and develop a lifelong love for learning. I am wholly committed to continually evolving my teaching practices to meet the needs of diverse students while nurturing their intellectual, personal, and ethical growth.
Access my CV here.
Sample Materials
Sample lesson plan | AM 250 | Topic: Dress and the Workplace | Student Worksheet
Sample lesson plan | AM 250 | Topic: Race & Ethnicity in Dress with Avenir Museum Visit | Individual Worksheet | Group Worksheet
Sample in-class activity | AM 450 | Topic: Dress and the Body
Sample lesson plan | AM 460 Topic: Material Culture Methodologies & Historic Lace | Student Worksheet
AM 250 - Clothing, Adornment, and Human Behavior Syllabus -
GTA to Dr. Jennifer Ogle for three years
AM 450 - Psycho-Social and Cultural Aspects of Dress Syllabus - Graduate Supervised College Teaching Support to Dr. Jennifer Ogle
AM 460 - Historic Textiles Syllabus - Graduate Supervised College Teaching Support to Dr. Paula Alaszkiewicz
Contact
Get in Touch
For all inquiries, please write to sarah.khristine@gmail.com
Professional and scholarly references available upon request.
