The EHG is situated on Fifth Avenue in New York. It has been exhibiting photography since it opened in 1977 from the early 20th Century as well as Contemporary artists. Whilst browsing, I came across this link to their website showing various collars, which at the time I did not realise were photographed. The Photographer is Elinor Carucci and the collars belong to the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1933-2020), who was the second-ever woman to sit on the US Supreme
Court, wore collars to emphasise the feminine energy she brought to the court. In her first group
photograph with her colleague, the two wore collars to personalise the otherwise stark black robes. This collar, with pleats and floral motifs, was among her most feminine and traditional – a cautious choice for a Justice just starting out.
Early on she was drawn to traditional lace jabots and these were later joined by necklaces made of beads, shells, and metalwork from around the world. Many of them were gifts from colleagues and admirers and some were chosen on a whim, she occasionally used them as a form of wordless communication.
These are just a few of the collars, but there is a common thread running through this story, they are all made of natural materials and hand-crafted. They also show an appreciation of handcrafted items which were used to communicate without words.
Below, is the one used at weddings. As articles of clothing and jewellery, they are beautiful to look at and would look stunning in a courtroom setting showing a touch of softness, but the story behind them makes it all the more interesting.
The exhibition is over but you can look at the online gallery here:
Amanda Binns (Trustee)