I visited the Brooklyn Museum last Thursday. My intention was to see the Gautier show, but my day turned out to be so much more.
Barry Harwood, the Curator of Decorative Arts played host and we started with lunch in Saul, the delicious new restaurant in the Museum. The space is designed by my friends at Uhuru.
Then Barry Took me to see his restoration of the 19th Century period rooms. Although he is a great collector of all periods, his specialty is the second half of the 19th Century, so it was fun to see him in his element.
The rooms, a library and a parlor from a grand house in Saratoga NY, and were in need of a refresher. The walls never had wallpaper, but period homes might have, so Barry delved into the archives and came up with a print from the period. He’s not sure if it was ever produced, but its very accurate to the period. So he had it reproduced on a lilac background no less.
Curator as decorator! And at the same time he had a historically accurate tartan carpeting made for the library! Very brave, and oddly contemporary, huh? I cannot wait to see it all together. It changes one’s perception of history – it all seems so black and white in the pictures.
Next Barry took me to see a small show he put together called 19th Century Modern. A dialogue between objects from the 19th and 20th Centuries. I did not take any good pictures, but it was very interesting to see how the late 19th Century laid the groundwork for 20th Century modernism. Then we swung by the Luce Center to see some of my work in the study center. The Chrome Kila …
… a Piggy bank, and some candlesticks …
And finally, with my head full, I went through the Gautier Exhibition, which I found … interesting … and maybe a little disappointing. It hard to put the work into context. I guess it is revolutionary, but there has been so much challenging fashion since that it all looks a little tame. There are alot of fun things, like this head to toe houndstooth number…
… and these body suits representing the vascular, skeletal, and nervous systems …
… and who doesn’t love a cod piece …
On another day I might have been blown away, but I just kept asking myself who would want to wear this stuff? Thats no fun right, like the guy at the party who has to ask why everyone is laughing. Maybe my Gautier moment has come and past.
In addition, everyone has been talking about the installation – projections onto mannequins, but it’s Disney-esque format sort of annoyed me , and I found myself distracted from the clothing.
Technically the work is amazing, but thematically its sort of vacuous. I liked the McQueen show at the Met so much better; much more grown up. But then you realize the debt that McQueen owed to Gaultier.
About halfway through the show they have a little section dedicated to the media influence of Gautier’s work. They play some videos and movies, and it made me realize a couple of things. First, as theatrical costumes, for Madonna shows and various movies, Gautier’s work makes much more sense than as real-life fashion. And secondly, a little piece from Absolutely Fabulous where Patsy and Edina meet Gaultier, summed up the whole show for me – Gautier created not only the fashion, but the fashion victim along with it.
That said, the show is a unique chance to see Gautier’s work all together in one place. The ladies behind me couldn’t have been more impressed and some fashion students I ran into in the elevator had spent hours there. You never know where your next great influence is going to come from.