Sometimes I wish I could write my thoughts as I am walking, as certain things provoke just so many reactions in the moment it is difficult to describe the experience afterwards. I recently had the opportunity to visit the Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
The perennially-packed exhibit was well worth the effort. I entered the Met at 9:30 am, right as it opened. Despite my early arrival, by the time I had purchased a ticket and gotten upstairs to the McQueen exhibit there was already a 10-minute wait.
The line actually reminded me of New York nightlife. The regular folks who don’t go out that much or who aren’t either pretty or wealthy enough to get in to the A-List places stand outside in long line like rope rats, while the well-heeled clients skip the line and head straight into the club. Sadly, I was experiencing that rare occasion where I had to wait in line like a normal person. All the while Met Museum members walked straight through with their entourage.
Nevertheless, after a few minutes in line I made it inside. Given that I know little about fashion, I decided it would be worth the $7 to get the audio guide. I had actually gone through the beginning of the exhibit before deciding to turn around and grab the audio guide, but it turned out to be well worth the purchase.
I will not recap the story of Alexander McQueen or discuss many of the details of the exhibit. That is not the purpose of this post. What was most interesting – to me – was appreciating the work of someone who reached the pinnacle of their field. Appreciating genius, regardless of industry, is always a transformative experience. It represents many years of struggle, learning, failures, and dedication toward a singular goal. The output – in this case clothing – was inspirational. So few people truly achieve genius in their field. McQueen did. And for that, I am grateful to have been able to take part in the experience.