The Brooklyn Museum’s Latest Exhibition Shows Off Golden Pieces From Cartier, Dior, and YSL

Tradition says a 50th anniversary is associated with gold. But what about a 200th? With age comes the privilege to break some rules, and the Brooklyn Museum is doing just that by holding a very golden exhibition in honor of its bicentennial.

With over 500 items spanning art, fashion, jewelry, design objects and film, Solid Gold looks at both the history and the cultural impact of the world’s best-known precious metal. The show will be organized into eight different sections that juxtapose historical objects and contemporary works to create a kind of visual dialogue that spans millennia. Highlights will include a sarcophagus lid that hasn’t been seen by the general public in over a century as well as jewelry from places such as ancient Egypt and the Pre-Hispanic Americas.

Those interested in more contemporary works will have plenty to view, too, particularly when it comes to fashion. Accessories like a prototype necklace made for Elizabeth Taylor’s Cleopatra and gowns by designer John Galliano during his tenure at Dior make notable appearances. And you’ll find plenty of other luxury items in the lineup, including a 1989 dress Azzedine Alaïa crafted from fine gold-tone chainmail for Tina Turner, Art Deco timepieces from Cartier, dazzling 70s pieces from YSL, and more recent, edgier looks created by Demna at Balenciaga. Leaving no stone unturned in gold’s use as human adornment, the exhibit even examines the use of the metal as it relates to smiles, from facial jewelry crafted in ancient Panama to modern-day grills.

“As a museum dedicated to bridging art and people in shared experiences, audiences will find inspiration, opening them up to unexplored realms of beauty in their world,” said exhibition curator Matthew Yokobosky in a statement.

Though widely coveted as a symbol of achievement and opulence, the exhibit doesn’t shy away from the more complicated aspects of the prized material, particularly its impact on the planet. From mining in South Africa to Colombia to Nubia, gold has caused staggering ecological transformation and environmental impact over the centuries. This subject is not only touched on by the show’s curators but also by several of the included artists, such as William Kentridge with his 1991 film Mine.

Solid Gold is on view at the Brooklyn Museum from November 16, 2024 to July 6, 2025.