MUSE Magazine Issue XIX

ISSUE XIX

43 The Resurgence of Classicism In today’s day and age, it’s rare to see an artist stick to one medium. We see this phenomenon in our everyday lives as well. It’s similar to having a major and a minor: you have a focus in one area, an interest in possibly continuing in another, while also joining a club dedicated to a completely different direction as a creative outlook or artistic expression. In the creative industry, the themes behind our forms of expression are timeless. A piece of art can make you feel like you have gone through a time machine, whether it reminds you of a 1920s flapper girl or it takes you to the future where cyborgs are the trend. Despite this, we see the current themes of expression leaning towards a classicism, emphasizing our generation as the nostalgic era. Classicism has always been an aesthetic interest. Speaking of the height of classicism, Timothée Chalamet’s rise was not only due to his audacious roles and cinematic performances, but his French appearance that inspired an Instagram page—@chalametinart—which inserts his face into artistic masterpieces. His appearance within his breakthrough role as Elio in Call Me by Your Name evoked another era. In a rare case like this, Chalamet’s unplanned success as a model figure in the works of Leonardo da Vinci and Titian rocketed his career through the aestheticism of his character and personality. Antiquity has been a constant muse for the creative industry, particularly the fashion industry. Whether it is skirts inspired by patterns of the Renaissance, or having a theme at the Met Gala dedicated to the role of Christian mythologies, the fashion industry looks to the past for inspiration. The MET Gala iconically encompasses themes surrounding eras and significant periods that inspire fashion. We see the Met Gala as an opportunity to put celebrities to the test of becoming fashion icons— consider Ezra Miller’s ode to the theme ‘Camp’ through his look at the 2019 Met Gala. This massive event itself is a creative outlet for celebrities to demonstrate their understanding of artistic movements – the intersection of antique traditions with innovative ideas of modernity. This allows us, as viewers, to witness as well-known artists explore fashion as a medium of expression. This resurgence of classicism correlates with the rise in vintage shopping. There is a certain charm in buying and collecting items that lived a past life. Recently, with the rising of antiquity in our surroundings, celebrities and creatives are connecting classicism and modernity through art, clothing, and music. Living in a generation where vintage is the trend and celebrities are releasing fragrances and music at the same time indicates the boundless opportunities creativity can reach. Artists are using the sense of time and different creative outlooks to not only attract their audience, but as a way to expand their self brand and claim their mark as artists through different mediums. By Hareer Al-Qaragolie

GRAPHIC BY SARAH MANDEL