Join MCD on the closing day of Beau McCall: Buttons On! for a powerful conversation between artist Beau McCall and Levi’s Brand Historian and Director of Archives Tracey Panek. Moderated by Souleo – a cultural icon, McCall’s muse, and the curator of Buttons On! – the discussion delves into the significance of buttons, denim, and wearable art as well as the themes of social justice, music, and personal identity so vividly present in McCall’s work and Levi’s history.

Beau McCall has worked with buttons for almost 40 years, transforming buttons into vibrant, narrative-rich wearable and visual art. Key to Beau’s wearable art is denim—a practical material choice capable of withstanding the weight of buttons and serving as a powerful platform to explore pop culture and social justice themes.

Tracey Panek has been with Levi’s for over a decade and now serves as the Brand Historian and Director of Archives. With deep knowledge of the company’s evolution, she will trace Levi’s journey from its founding during San Francisco’s Gold Rush in 1853 to its influential collaborations with musicians, artists, and activists.

Together, Beau, Tracey, and Souleo will explore the intersections of race, fashion, identity, and art, grounded in Beau’s dazzling and deeply personal practice. Don’t miss this mighty meeting of the minds on the closing day of Buttons On!

Visitors can come early, between 1-3 pm, and create denim button brooches with Beau McCall during our Button Brooches and Levi’s Love Workshop.

Tickets: General Admission $10, Students and Seniors $8, MCD members FREE
Children 12 and under are always free.

Pre-registration encouraged. Not a member? Join today!

BEAU MCCALL

Proclaimed by American Craft magazine as “The Button Man”—creates wearable and visual art by hand-sewing clothing buttons onto mostly upcycled fabrics, materials, and objects. His artworks, offering commentary on topics such as pop culture and social justice are held in the permanent collection of numerous public institutions including the Museum of Arts and Design (New York, NY); The Museum at FIT (New York, NY); Philadelphia Museum of Art (Philadelphia, PA); Victoria and Albert Museum (London, UK); and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (New York, NY). In 2024, McCall debuted his first-ever retrospective and exhibition catalog titled, Beau McCall: Buttons On! at Fuller Craft Museum (Brockton, MA). The exhibition is currently on a nationwide tour. For more information: BeauMcCall.com

SOULEO

Souleo has been hailed as an “Icon of Harlem” (Ruth Millington, art historian and author of Muse) and “Harlem’s Heart & Soul” (NY Daily News). An acclaimed creative, curator, writer, impresario, consultant, and muse he seamlessly merges the worlds of visual art, fashion, literature, media, and the performing arts to document and amplify the stories of the emerging and underrepresented via exhibitions, events, and writing. Souleo has collaborated with noteworthy institutions and brands, including the New York Public Library, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Brooklyn Public Library, Museum of Arts and Design, Columbia University, Newark Museum of Art, Nordstrom, and AARP. Souleo’s work has been widely covered in outlets including the Associated Press, NY Times, The New Yorker, New York Magazine/The Cut, ESSENCE, EBONY, and PBS. For more information: SouleoUniverse.com

TRACEY PANEK

Tracey Panek is the Historian for Levi Strauss & Co. and Director of Archives at the company’s world headquarters in San Francisco. She manages the day-to-day workings of the Levi Strauss & Co. Archives as a key corporate asset, answering historical questions, assisting designers, brand managers, executives and other employees whose work requires historical materials in the Archives. She regularly hunts for unique vintage Levi’s® garments and unusual Levi’s® items to add to the Archives. Tracey is a contributor to Unzipped, the company’s blog, writing about company history, vintage Levi’s® garments, and behind-the-scenes work in the Archives. She narrates the video series From the Levi’s® Archives on YouTube and From the Levi’s® Archives on TikTok. Tracey is the media spokesperson for Levi Strauss & Co. heritage.

MCD MEMBERS

Make the most of your MCD Membership. This event is FREE for Members and don’t forget to stop by the Museum Store on your way out and get your 10% off discount!

Not an MCD Member? Join today and get free and discounted tickets to MCD’s signature programs, events, tours, and more!