Belgian designs the costume exhibition at The Met

From May to September 2019, the exhibition will display around 175 objects, including clothes, sculptures, paintings and drawings, from the 17th century until the present day. The theme is Camp: Notes on Fashion and is inspired by Notes on Camp, an essay by the American author Susan Sontag dating back to 1964. ‘Camp’ a collective name for cultural displays that make conscious use of kitsch elements.

Jan Versweyveld will work together with the design department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art to design this exhibition. The 60-year-old Belgian made his name as the head of design at Amsterdam's International Theatre. He is the permanent scenographer for director Ivo van Hove and also works with choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker. With the appointment of Versweyveld, The Met will once again receive the Belgian touch. Recently, Karen Van Godtsenhoven started work there as curator at the Costume Institute.

The exhibition is traditionally launched along with the Met Gala. This is an annual fundraising gala, which raises money for the Costume Institute. It always attracts plenty of famous names.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art is among the largest and most prestigious art museums in the world. It receives millions of visitors each year. As such, it is the second most visited art museum in the world. Only the Louvre in Paris is more popular.