As someone from Toronto, Buffalo, New York was always someplace I had heard about but never…
Over the years, I stopped trying to see all the “top attractions” and instead started to explore smaller areas of the city. I stayed in one spot and dug in deep there. I stopped paying attention to the things that bothered me and instead focused on the beauty of what was around me. While I’m never a fan of avoiding certain touristy things just because they “popular”, there are definitely some things over-hyped parts of town. I’ve learned from exploring New York so many times what’s worth avoiding and what’s worth your attention, time and money.
The Heavenly Bodies collection at the Cloisters focuses on the quiet, reflective nature of faith. The outfits are more complicated, require more thought and observation, and due to the remote location, allows you to have a more personal experience with the objects.
The Byzantine Galleries focus on designers who were influenced by Sacred Spaces; the interior of Cathedrals and churches, and who brought elements from those spaces into the garments. The dresses are paired with fragments of floor mosaics from the 5th century as well as pieces of Byzantine jewellery and silverware. The mannequins each stand high aloft of tall plinths. The dresses are still clearly visible and yet are somewhat separated from the historical art along the walls.