If you only have one day to spend in New York City and the weather is terrible (e.g. it’s sleeting, snowing, or over 100 degrees like it has been this week) than you should check out the MET. Otherwise, if you’re here for any length of time I would suggest going. It’s like a museum for people who don’t like museums. There’s something for everyone in here, it’s incredible. The MET may have Art in it’s official name, but the art consists of artifacts, architecture, fine art, instruments, you name it… it’s probably here. I had to say this over and over to my boyfriend when I told him I was taking him here. He’s been to several art museums with me over the years, and while I don’t have to drag him in there or pressure him, he’s not usually thrilled about it. Especially when we’re in a place like New York where there’s so much to do besides be inside. However, once inside you’ll find yourself n another world, or worlds if you choose to explore the whole thing. My favorite exhibits are the Egyptian and Greek artifacts. They actually have a tomb from Egypt that was deconstructed, and reconstructed in the US to be housed here in New York. How cool is that? The Greek pottery reminds me of something out of the Hercules animated film (or vice versa). I’m so in love with this stuff, I could think about its history all afternoon.
There are also a few building facades that when the building was being demolished, they took the whole front off the building and rebuilt it inside the MET. They did this for an old post office I believe. There are also apartments from the romantic era, and even some Frank Lloyd Wright styled rooms. It’s pretty awesome to consider architectural history as art, and then find a way to move it inside a museum for others to come to one place to enjoy it. The MET also houses a huge selection of fine art which should not be overlooked as I’m rambling on about everything besides art that they have. They have some amazing Impressionist work from Van Gogh, Monet, Degas, Picasso, etc. There are also that line the halls and courtyards dating from modern times back to Roman times. Places like this make me puzzled when considering all the funds and time it would take to have such an extensive collection. All the lives that were dedicated to making this museum what it is today. So that ordinary people like Jason and I who have totally different interests in what is art, could both find something to love and appreciate when walking in here. We had so much fun wandering around the halls and rooms. Jason found on the map that they had a instrument collection and we got lost trying to find it. We finally ended up in it and found the oboe section spanning 200 years, it was a lot of fun. While exploring the galleries I realized there was a huge line for an exhibition. When I say huge, I’m talking a 2 hour wait. The MET is so large that I didn’t even realize this huge line till I was in a specific part of the place. I asked someone what the exhibition was for, and his accent kind of masked what he was saying. When I gave him that puzzled “oh neat” look, he repeated himself and I said “Alexander McQueen”… THE “Alexander McQueen”? Soo….. back to the MET I came on a Sunday morning (today) before the museum opened to get in line to see this exhibition. Even with arriving to the museum 30 minutes before it opened, I stood in a line down the steps, and I waited in an additional 30 minute line was I had my tickets to get inside. IT WAS WORTH IT.
Like my childhood friend Natalie can tell you, I am no fashionista. I usually just copy the trends of what I see my friends wearing. I could never bring myself to just wear whatever I felt like expressing myself in. Alexander McQueen was ahead of his time. His fashion ideas set the trends of today. His “bumpsters” pants that were meant in political irony to show his Scottish roots, set the trend for today’s hip riding jeans. I went from room to room (it took an hour to see everything) in total amazement at what was before my eyes. Yes it was women’s clothes, but this artist meant something when designing them. He had a story to tell through his clothes and it was there for anyone to see. McQueen’s quotes describe his fashions for woman as romantic, drawing his themes from styles like Edgard Allen Poe and Victorian Gothic.
I got to see the Lady Gaga snake shoes and a hat made of porcupine needles and glitter. There were some Philip Treacy hats in the collection specially designed for McQueen as well. I had so much fun immersing myself in a little ‘couture’ today. I hope I’ll try to keep up a little bit more on this art, if nothing else for my own personal style that we all know I need. My favorite piece in the collection was this dress that started like a skirt. It had a belt above the bust line, and the dress hung from there all the way to the knees like a large skirt. They had a video of the model that wore it on the runway, she stood on a revolving circle, and these two robot things that you see on the Honda commercials for assembling cars painted the dress while she turned. In the end she head paint all over her dress, her hair, her skin, but somehow it was still beautiful. Like technology and couture combined into this new art. The dress was on display in its ‘new’, painted state. There were no pictures allowed in the exhibition, which is why I have none posted. I’m not sure if all these items are going back to the McQueen and their owners or if this show will continue on. However, I recommend seeing it sometime before Aug 7th in NYC.
Alexander McQueen, the world will miss you.
AND that is the MET!
Here is a photo of me and Rebecca on the steps of the MET when she came to visit. Originally we tried to see the McQueen exhibit before her flight, but unfortunately there just wasn’t enough time. I think she enjoyed exploring the fine art though.
