Pussyhat enters V&A collection as symbol of protest
On March 8, 2017, the Victoria & Albert Museum in London acquired a pink knitted Pussyhat, created by Jayna Zweiman, for its Rapid Response Collecting initiative. The hat was worn by hundreds of thousands during the Women's March in Washington D.C. on January 21, 2017, the day after Donald Trump's inauguration, to protest his policies on women's, migrants', and LGBT rights. The V&A's program collects everyday objects that capture contemporary social and political issues, including Primark trousers from the Rana Plaza factory (which collapsed in April 2013, killing over 1,100), an Ikea wolf toy used by Hong Kong protesters against governor Leung Chun-Ying, Christian Louboutin's 'Nudes' heels in various skin tones, and the first 3D-printable gun designed by Cody Wilson. Former V&A director Martin Roth stated, 'Design is not always about nice tables and beautiful chairs; these objects truly belong to everyone, and we are bringing the discussion from outside the museum inside.'
Key facts
- Pussyhat acquired by V&A on March 8, 2017
- Hat designed by Jayna Zweiman, co-founder of Pussyhat Project
- Worn by 500,000 at Women's March on January 21, 2017
- Part of V&A's Rapid Response Collecting initiative
- Rana Plaza collapse killed over 1,100 in April 2013
- Ikea wolf toy used in Hong Kong protests against Leung Chun-Ying
- Christian Louboutin Nudes heels in multiple beige shades
- Cody Wilson created first 3D-printable gun
Entities
Artists
- Jayna Zweiman
- Cody Wilson
- Christian Louboutin
Institutions
- Victoria & Albert Museum
- Pussyhat Project
- Primark
- Ikea
- Rana Plaza
Locations
- London
- United Kingdom
- Washington D.C.
- United States
- Bangladesh
- Hong Kong