![The Met Exhibit, Camp: Notes on Fashion2. - [Image taken by Tracey Fitzpatrick]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2019/5/8/660x290/b_502x220x82/the-met-exhibit-camp-notes-on-fashion2via-tracey-fitzpatrick_2260461.jpg "The Met Exhibit, Camp: Notes on Fashion2. - [Image taken by Tracey Fitzpatrick]")
The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s latest exhibit, Camp: Notes on Fashion, has something for everyone, as did the red carpet in New York City Monday evening.
The Costume Institute’s 2019 Spring Gala went over and above the Camp theme, which is often described as theatrical, subversive and controversial, but never boring. And, never boring was one of this year’s co-chairs of The Met Gala, Lady Gaga, who owned the red carpet in not one outrageous outfit, but three. Other camp standout-outs included Katy Perry dripping in chandelier crystals and Jared Leto carrying a likeness of his head.
Celebrities camp it up on the red carpet
The $35,000 per ticket fundraiser, which is designed and carefully executed by Vogue’s Anna Wintour, is the Costume Institutes primary source of funding. In addition to Lady Gaga, honorary co-chairs included Gucci’s Alessandro Michele, Harry Styles, and Serena Williams.
The 2019 Gala also coincides with The Met’s latest exhibit, “Camp: Notes on Fashion” that explores the origins of the camp aesthetic and how it evolved from the margins to the mainstream.
While previewing the exhibit before the Gala, I had a chance to talk ‘camp’ with Head Curator, Andrew Bolton.
Camp: Notes on Fashion exhibit precedes Met Gala
“I hope people take away and understand the essential meaning of camp, which is addressing controversial issues central to our culture.
This exhibit, with its multi-tiered glass-enclosed rooms, represents the ballroom culture in African American and Latina dance houses and is built to honor these ballroom cultural scenes.”
Bolton also predicted Lady Gaga would be the most “outrageously campish” on the red carpet, especially compared to his traditional tux, but, in keeping with the night’s theme, he would be showing a bit of ankle.
The Camp exhibit features over 250 objects that date from the 17th century to the present. Included are men and womenswear, paintings, sculptures and drawings that personify the camp aesthetic. Diversity also dominated the runway at New York Fashion Week.
Some of the designers include Alexander McQueen, Jeremy Scott for Moschino, Elsa Schiaparelli, Gucci, Gianni Versace, and Vivienne Westwood.
The exhibition is anchored by Susan Sontag’s 1964 essay, Notes on Camp, which explores how fashion designers have used their artistry to engage with camp from the humorous to the outrageous.
Max Hollein, Director of The Met added, “Camp’s disruptive nature and subversion of modern aesthetic values has been trivialized, but this show reveals its profound influence on popular culture and high art.”
While walking through the show, one feels a responsibility to Instagram it, in all its audacious style and glory. I asked Exhibit curator Andrew Bolton about the social media effect on camp. “This show definitely has a cachet, and Instagram is inherently camp, as we all tend to present an extreme version of ourselves.”
So Gram away when the doors to the exhibit open on May 9, and remain open through September 8, at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s exhibition, "Camp: Notes on Fashion."
