Fashion reclaims primacy: the met’s ‘costume art’ exhibition redefines visual history
Andrew Bolton’s audacious ‘Costume Art’ exhibition at The Metropolitan Museum of Art isn’t just showcasing garments; it’s dismantling the established hierarchy of art, elevating fashion to a primary site of visual and social formation. Forget illustrative accessories – this is a radical re-framing of the entire museum narrative.
A symphony of silhouettes and assemblages
The exhibition, born from Bolton’s insistence that fashion deserves equal footing with painting and sculpture, presents a dizzying array of juxtapositions. Alongside historical masterpieces, mannequins draped in meticulously constructed assemblages – a collaborative effort between curator Andrew Bolton and artist Julie Wolfe – command attention. Wolfe’s practice, utilizing Exacto knives, archival adhesives, and unexpected materials like vintage book pages, generates tactile pieces brimming with deliberate imperfection. “I wanted to make these pieces very much analog in themselves, very much like a human touch, not perfect,” Wolfe explains, “There are cut marks and there are some irregularities and I love that sort of beauty.”
Beyond the surface: wolfe’s ‘1+1=3’ approach
Bolton’s approach, dubbed ‘1+1=3,’ pushes the boundaries of interpretation. The collaborations – like the pairing of Rafaelle Monti’s ‘Veiled Woman’ (1854) with a Maison Margiela fall 2020 couture creation – aren’t simply visual echoes; they’re deliberately ambiguous, inviting the viewer to forge their own connections. “I think this is brilliant of Andrew, because it sort of gives a different perspective on the pairings that are in the exhibition,” Wolfe notes. “I think it’s about seeing from your own perspective how you want to put the puzzle together.”
A body of inquiry
The exhibition acutely focuses on the body itself – the naked, the pregnant, the aging – each introduced through Wolfe’s evocative assemblages. These aren’t mere decorative elements; they’re conceptual provocations, forcing a consideration of the body’s role as a locus of expression and transformation throughout history. The accompanying catalog, featuring a limited-edition keepsake box, ‘The Body Electric,’ further amplifies this dialogue, offering a tangible connection between art and fashion. Only 500 copies are available, each including a signed print by Wolfe and unbound pages for personalized curation.
Notable pairings: a visual dialogue
Highlights include the pairing of Thomas B. Worth’s ‘The Grecian Bend’ with a Loewe by Jonathan Anderson, spring 2022, and a striking encounter between lesley Dill’s ‘The Poetic Body’ and Olivier Theyskens’ fall 1998 design. The Met’s commitment to this project signals a significant shift – a recognition that fashion isn’t a frivolous distraction, but a potent language capable of shaping our understanding of the world.
The last word
Ultimately, ‘Costume Art’ isn’t just an exhibition; it’s a deliberate act of subversion, a challenge to traditional definitions of art and its role in our lives. It’s a reminder that beauty, meaning, and social commentary can be found in the most unexpected places – and often, on the body itself.