5 Met Gala Art References Worth a Closer Look
Everyone may have been talking about Kendall Jenner as winged victory and Madonna’s take on Leonora Carrington, but these are the looks that had art world insiders taking notice
Another Met Gala is one for the art history books, and the internet was abuzz this week with thoughts on the attendees and the famous artworks that inspired their red carpet looks. The theme of this year’s event, which celebrated the “Costume Art” exhibit, was “Fashion is Art.” From Gracie Abrams’s perfectly executed golden Chanel Gustave Klimt attire to Madonna bringing multiple attendants to portray a Leonora Carrington to Julianne Moore and Claire Foy as two out of at least four Madame X admirers, a number of red carpet creations drew instant recognition. But the art world took note of some references that were a bit more esoteric—the artistic reference equivalent of what fans of a music album might call a “deep cut,” as it were. Here are some of the looks that Galerie editors couldn’t stop chatting about after we saw them ascend the Metropolitan Museum of Art steps last Monday night.
Angela Bassett X Laura Wheeler Waring
Laura Wheeler Waring was one of the great portrait artists of the Harlem Renaissance. Her painting Girl in a Pink Dress was Oscar nominee Angela Bassett’s choice for her “Fashion is Art” point-of-reference. Bassett exuded springtime in a glowingly pink one-shouldered Prabal Gurung that she accessorized with diamond jewelry from Messika, including earrings with petal-like shapes.
Chase Infiniti X Venus de Milo
Fashion designer Thom Browne had a fantastic evening, with roughly a dozen celebrities choosing him for their big entrance. He created a full-color interpretation of the Louvre’s Venus de Milo for Chase Infiniti to wear to her very first Met Gala.
Audrey Nuna X Jackson Pollock
“Golden” singer Audrey Nuna went with a dramatic galaxy of black crystal beads on her white ensemble Robert Wun, echoing a Pollock splatter painting. The look that she wore was known as “The Pigment” in the designer’s collection.
Jamie Soros X William the Hippo
William the Hippo is the beloved unofficial mascot of the Metropolitan. He shows up in the gift shop as a sweet plush toy, a Christmas tree ornament and a refrigerator magnet, among other items. Who is William? He’s a bright blue, florally adorned ancient Egyptian faience funerary figurine who has been at the Met since 1917. Real hippopotami are lethal in a stampede, but “huggable” is the easiest immediate adjective for the diminutive 3,800-year-old William. Bravo to Jamie Soros for her witty and affectionate tribute to the hometown favorite. She wore a black and turquoise Bach Mai gown that carried an aura of Charles James while eliciting smiles from local art lovers who instantly recognized the overskirt’s homage to William.
…And Starring Amy Sherald as Herself
Artist Amy Sherald made a unique and perhaps ultimate flex in arriving as one of her own paintings, 2014’s Miss Everything (Unsuppressed Deliverance). The artwork previously starred in a New Yorker magazine cover. Sherald, best known for her iconic Smithsonian official First Lady portrait of Michelle Obama, wore a custom Thom Browne.