In 2017, seven-time Academy Award–nominated and three-time Emmy- and Tony-winning actress Glenn Close donated her collection of more than 800 pieces and other items to the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design. Through a selection of costumes from the collection, the exhibition will explore the art of developing a character with a focus on the creativity and skills of the designers and makers, as well as the collaborative process between Close and the artists who help bring her characters to life. Featuring the work of award-winning costume designers—including Anthony Powell (101 and 102 Dalmatians), Ann Roth (The Stepford Wives) and James Acheson (Dangerous Liaisons)—the exhibition will include clothing and accessories that Close carefully collected from the beginning of her career. It will also showcase the artistry and handcraft of makers such as Barbara Matera and Katherine Marshall.

A fully illustrated exhibition catalog, published by Scala Arts Publishers, will accompany the exhibition.

The Art of the Character: Highlights from the Glenn Close Costume Collection is presented in partnership with the Sage Fashion Collection in the Sidney and Lois Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design. The exhibition is co-curated by Kelly Richardson, curator of the Sage Fashion Collection, and Galina Olmsted, assistant curator of European and American art at the Eskenazi Museum of Art.

Support for the exhibition and catalog were provided in part by the Indiana University Foundation Well House Society, the IU Women's Philanthropy Leadership Council, the Office of the Bicentennial at Indiana University, and Kimberly and John Simpson.