Earlier this week, all eyes were on the Metropolitan Museum of Art as some of Hollywood’s biggest celebrities flocked to New York for the annual Met Gala. While the theme and accompanying exhibit at the Costume Institute—a tribute to the late designer Karl Lagerfield—was a source of controversy in itselfthis was not the only point of contention at this prestigious event.
Amid all the social media chatter about head-turning outfits on the red carpet, several members of the arts community were quick to point out a resemblance between the plastic chandeliers hanging above celebrities and the sculptural works of the contemporary artist. Willie Cole.
On instagramcurator Ellen Hawley called the Met Gala light fixtures a “blatant copycat” of chandeliers created by Cole, whose own large-scale water bottle sculptures are currently on display at Express Newark, where he is artist in residence. She also pointed out that Cole’s work is on display at the Met and his prints and design are sold in the museum’s gift shop.
“Interestingly, Willie was not invited to participate in this installation, nor was he asked for permission to use his art likeness,” Hawley wrote. “As a curator who has worked with Willie’s bottles, I feel instinctively protective of his work.”
Cole expressed agreement with Hawley’s remarks in his own instagram job. “I have received a message[s] since last night about the blatant scam my water bottle works,” he wrote. “Is it flattery or theft? »
Via a representative from the Kavi Gupta Gallery in Chicago, Cole declined to comment.
The chandeliers on display at the recent Met Gala were designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando. 1995 Pritzker Prize Winner, Ando is a self-taught architect, widely known for his emphasis on simplicity and empty space in his work. Event planner Raul Àvila, who has overseen the Met Gala decor since 2007, explained in an interview with vogue that the design was intended to “highlight the importance of giving our everyday objects more than one cycle of life”.
Recycled water bottles also lined the staircase at the entrance to the gala and were used in conjunction with flowers for a huge circular centerpiece in the Great Hall. A Met spokesperson said Hyperallergic that the designers of the event “carried the decor theme right through to the decorative lighting of the red carpet tent”.
“The Met is a huge fan of Willie Cole and has contacted the artist directly about this,” the museum spokesperson added.
On social media, many have come to the defense of Cole. Artist Pamela Council agreed with a comment that Met Gala dating was a “scam”, adding that they lacked Cole’s “formal arrogance”. Some users pointed to the long history of found object sculptures and recycling in art, but many admitted the designs were eerily similar.
Cole is a New Jersey-based artist whose multimedia practice includes printmaking, sculpture, drawing, and photography. He is best known for combining everyday objects into works that address socio-political issues at the intersection of race, history and traditional African craftsmanship. In February, Cole unveiled “Spirit Catcher” and “Lumen-less Lantern”, two chandelier-like sculptures made from more than 3,000 plastic water bottles tied together using basketry and wire techniques. . The bottles that make up the chandeliers have been collected from and around Newark, and are a commentary on the city’s water crisis, as well as the planet’s toxic addiction to single-use plastic. Both works are currently on display as part of Express Newark’s liveliness series.
Editor’s Note 5/3/23 5:59 PM EDT: This article has been updated with a quote from a Met Museum spokesperson.
