The Met

Today I made my way uptown to The Metropolitan Museum of Art mainly to see the Alexander McQueen exhibit. The subway stop is on the opposite side of Central Park from the museum, so I got to walk through the park, which I have not gotten to do since I have been here. I was happy I didn't get lost in all of the different paths. It was a very hot day, but it was supposed to rain so I did not dress very appropriately for the heat and I was definitely feeling it during my stroll (the patches of shade were very welcome). I still enjoyed it though! Once I got into The Met, there was a huge line to get into the McQueen exhibit and it ended up taking me about 45 minutes just to get inside, but the wait was definitely worth it. It is really hard to describe how completely masterful McQueen was. His work is absolutely beautiful, but sometimes grotesque, creepy and rawly sexual. The name of the exhibit is "Savage Beauty," and that is the perfect way to describe his work. McQueen quotes were woven throughout the exhibit, but the first one I read was the one that stuck out to me the most: "You've got to know the rules to break them. That's what I'm here for, to demolish the rules but to keep the tradition." I like it because it does not just apply to fashion, but many different fields and situations. Right now I am learning all of the rules and traditions of journalism in school, but I can see now that not all publications adhere to a classic model and not all journalists gain recognition from their work in newspapers or magazine. Journalism and the role of the journalist is changing. Some people are scared about how the business model will change, but I am excited for the opportunities the Internet, digital technologies and social media will open up for the industry. On the other hand, I am a firm believer in having respect for the past and tradition. I completely agree that you have to understand and respect rules and tradition before you can break them.

But back to McQueen and The Met... my favorite pieces were a cream dress made from silk organza and chiffon that Kate Moss wore as a hologram for one of McQueen's shows and a dress made from silk and real flowers that was absolutely stunning. I also liked the sky-high, platform shoes that were very Gaga. He used such unconventional materials like mussel shells to make a top, which was amazing to see. A lot of the quotes and the clothes were about feminine power. He wanted the women who wore his clothes to intimidate other people, and if I saw someone walking around in a massive, square-fitting dress made out of hair I sure would walk the other way. Even though most of the work was fit for the runway and are not ready-to-wear pieces, you cannot deny the sheer genius McQueen was, and how creative, forward-thinking and imaginative he was. The man was a genius.

After the McQueen exhibit I wandered though some modern American art, and then stumbled upon some Picasso. The Met has very impressive Pollock's that I loved and a bunch of different Warhol's. My favorite Warhol was a set of Jackie O portraits done in mostly blues. I also saw a Frank Stella piece, which was exciting because my design professor last year told me to look him up and I fell in love with his minimalist, yet bright and interesting, work. The Picasso piece I liked the most made me laugh. I don't really know why, maybe because it is silly, exaggerated and playful, but you can decide for yourself (see picture below). I am sorry I do not have any pictures from the McQueen exhibit, but they would not allow any pictures even without flash.

Frank Stella

Picasso

Pollock

Warhol