Starting June 15, the Museum of Wisconsin Art will exhibit Terese Agnew's "Portrait of a Textile Worker" in its Modern and Contemporary Gallery through Jan. 17, 2014.

The work of art is a tapestry that measures 8 by 9 feet and is constructed from 30,000 clothing labels stitched together over the course of two years. When viewed from a distance, the piece shows a girl hunched over a sewing machine.

Agnew created the piece eight years ago when she saw a photograph by the National Labor Committee's Charles Kernaghan and was inspired to raise awareness about the process of how brand-name clothing in the United States is made.

The tapestry is owned by the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. MOWA decided to show it in response to the tragic collapse of an unfit garment factory in Rana Plaza, Bangladesh in April, which killed 1,127 and injured 2,500.

"MOWA is a nimble organization and we're able to respond quickly to fast-paced changes in our political and social environment," said Laurie Winters, executive director and CEO of MOWA.

"Our goal as a museum is not only to reflect the environment in which we live, but to take part in the larger conversation. That's what artists do and museums need to do the same."