‘Savage Beauty’ update

Dan dos Santos

Thursday, July 21st, 2011

-By Dan dos Santos

So I just got back from the Alexander McQueen Retrospective at the Metropolitan Museum, and I must say, it was incredible. Quite possible the most amazing exhibition I’ve ever seen at the Met… period.

I was expecting to see a lot of great work. What I wasn’t expecting, was to walk into a custom crafted exhibition hall full of mirrors, projections, sound effects, wind machines, holograms, and rotating mannequins! Seriously, I can only assume the sets alone costed millions of dollars and took months to assemble.

Further more, almost every piece on display had a custom mask made for it, which was not part of the original ensemble, but really heightened the emotional impact of each piece. Yes, I used the word emotional. It’s not too often that a piece of art really stirs me, but this show certainly did just that. It was imaginative, scary, sad, and just all around heart-breakingly good. I left the show doubting my career path.

I really wanted to take photos of the rooms for you guys, but they had a very strict ‘no camera’ policy. And though they have some pictures on the Met’s site, I promise you, they do not do the show justice.

The show comes down in just 16 days! Once the exhibition is over, it is over. It will NOT be traveling.
If you are in the NYC area, you need to see it… If you are not in the NYC, you need to see it.

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7 Comments

  1. Avatar
    Anonymous on July 21, 2011 at 1:07 pm

    Why do people have to die before they truly get noticed. Sad. The show looks awesome.

  2. Avatar
    Stryke on July 21, 2011 at 2:16 pm

    holy shit, the second set is awesome

  3. Avatar
    Anonymous on July 21, 2011 at 2:58 pm

    Anon, McQueen was hardly not noticed before he passed this year. Maybe you mean in different art circles?

    krh

  4. Avatar
    Steven Pifalo Lenze on July 21, 2011 at 11:12 pm

    I discovered Alexander McQueen from Fashion TV. His designs blew me away. I think a lot of avant guard designers miss the mark for me, but his stuff was special. Wish I was in NY, would love to see these in person.

  5. Avatar
    Anonymous on July 22, 2011 at 5:02 pm

    Just came back from the show! It was amazing!

    (Of course I pick the hottest day of the year to go see it, but that's how I roll!)

    He was a fantastic talent!

    A great show! Really make the time to see it! But be warned, the lines to get in are CRAZY! …I got there before opening, and the line was still crazy.

    …Steve.

  6. Avatar
    Christian on July 27, 2011 at 12:19 am

    Wow it looks really beautiful. I wish they would have made a show catalog.