Heavenly Bodies & the Catholic Imagination

If there was one exhibit that has caused me to

look at a piece of art and seek evidence of its earliest influences,

it was "Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and

the Catholic Imagination;" a mind-bending

display of clothing, old and new, inspired and informed by 

the Catholic faith.

The Costume Institute within the Met opened its spring 2018 show featuring every imaginable type of fashion/costume/clothing design with any hint of Catholic influence in a magnificent display not only in the New York City museum proper but in its northern gallery "The Cloisters."

To get the impact of seeing these garmets in the surroundings so appropriate to them watch this video narrated by Andrew Bolton, the show's curator.  Bolton had long been thinking about an exhibition encompassing the world's 5 major religions but found that the Catholic input was weighing down the balance, enough so that he decided on a show focusing solely on that influence.

Our jaws hung open as we toured the Clostiers which was the most amazing and appropriate setting for many of the clothes.  Although the collection included pieces by such recognized designers as Valentino, Gaultier, Channel, Dolce & Gabanna, Dior, Alexander McQueen and Versace they were designed over the course of many years and for many different purposes (shows, street wear, cocktail dresses, movies, etc.).  

We saw clothing based upon choir robes, monks attire, priestly vestaments, nuns habits and stained glass as well as biblical stories and elecestastical paintings.  

the shawl worn on the shoulder

placed the baby in the mothers arms per

a stained glass design...photo shows reflections of the cloisters gardens

The "provocative nature of the untouchable" was explored in a series of designs inspired by the history of the nuns habits. The main building of the Met had appropriately placed the exhibit pieces in areas that held permanent displays based on the church and its relics.  Did I say relics?  Ah yes, even jewelry was included, much of which was based on relics and symbols of the religion.  Rings, crosses, hats, headpieces....

evening gown with Adam & Eve story beaded on the skirt

the garden of delights?!

a halter style top beaded and

bejeweled with saintly influences

Interestingly the church with a capital C cooperated with the Institute's plans as quite a number of papal robes and mitres were on loan from the Vatican.  We could not photograph these but they were astounding to me (in a negative way) for the amount of precious stones, jewels and hours and hours of tedious hand sewing they represented.  Many were gifts from foreign dignataries but still....

For a fascinating backstory, in better words than mine, check out this article in Vogue Magazine.  

Now back to my opening thought: almost all of the designers represented in this exhibit grew up Catholic, some still very devout, others not so much.  They were not (except in one or two instances) designing for this specific show so their past wormed its way into their art long before someone decided to curate it as such.  Is it because fashion designers are primarily Spanish, French and Italian (and therefore Catholic)? Is it because Catholicism has always employed all of the senses in its various expressions of worship?  Does that faith provide a more fertile ground for young imaginations to flourish?   Or do all of us exhibit, in some way, the early upbringing we had, the early and dramatic experiences we lived through and the first major institutions that shaped our young lives?

Catholic or not, can I find evidence in an aritist's body of work of what his major, life shaping influences were?  It is a very interesting thought and it must be there: latent or obvious.  Unless an artist is an avowed "copier" or an uninterested production marketeer, his or her work should have a trace of all the influences in their life but most especially those of the hugely impressionable years: childhood.  

So think on that the next time you stand before a piece of art and you do not know the artist: can you detect what experiences may have influenced either the painting subject or the style of his work?

This was a fascinating exhibit on many levels.

SEARCHING STILL,

Cindy