The Met’s upcoming exhibition “Musical Bodies,” June 7th through September 27^th, is a multi-sensory, cross-departmental show that was inspired by the deceptively simple question:  why are so many instruments shaped and decorated like the human body?  Pursuing that question led to a broader inquiry into how instruments embody our humanity–physically, socially, and symbolically—across time and cultures.

The show frames instruments as a lens on humanity with the idea that music is central to our identity, ritual, and social life…as the show aims to reconnect visitors with their “innate musicality” and a shared heritage of harmony, even for those who do not think of themselves as musicians.  A key theme is that our bodies are themselves musical instruments –so whether we are tapping, clapping, vocalizing, or whistling, our bodies are instruments.

Drawing exhibit materials from ten departments of the Met and major international lenders… across 4000 years of global art and music history…. the show uses about 130 instruments, painting, sculptures, drawings, garments, pop culture objects—and interactive sound experiences-to make a statement about who we are, what we value and the connection between music and our bodies.

The exhibition is organized into six thematic sections including the use of instruments as part of belief, ritual and mythology… portraits, performance and identity…sex, taboo and the body…. mourning and death….and contemporary and experimental forms exploring the boundaries between instruments, technology and sculpture.

It was pure joy to experience this exhibit…. below are some personal photos that I hope to give you a sense of what awaits you on a personal visit.

PRINCE’S GUITAR: Performance and identity

A large portion of the show considers instruments as extension of personal and social identity, particularly in portraits and performance.  The inclusion of Prince’s guitar, for example, points to the instrument as a signature extension of celebrity identity and corporeal presence.

SAVION GLOVER’S TAP SHOES

For the acclaimed tap dancer Savion Glover, his feet are considered as an expressive instrument to produce specific sounds, from the sizzle of a cymbal to the pulse of a bass drum.  A large screen film video brings the “hoofer” to life, with a nod to past artists who performed complex rhythm-tap footwork.

BLURRED BOUNDARIES: When instruments and bodies merge

Boundaries are blurred when instruments and bodies merge to expand and redefine the ways we perceive music and how it is made, by placing the performer at the center, the circular designs captured below offer expanded methods of reach and range, drawing on ancient precepts  (“khong wong yai”), modern technologies like MIDI (musical instrument digital interface), and the aesthetics of sculpture to create a “superhuman” result. Headphones are provided at the exhibit site.

MUSIC EVOKES ACTS OF PASSION

In this exhibit, music making presents a platform for passion, including the proximity of piano duets to the gyrations of rock guitarists.  Like lovers, instruments ask us to engage with them: strumming, plucking, tickling, bowing, blowing.  The examples in this exhibit cover the spectrum.

MUSIC AS A REMINDER OF THE TRANSIENT NATURE OF LIFE

Across cultures and centuries, instruments have offered solace and played a central role in mourning.  Many traditions understand death as a journey from one state of being to another, Instruments reverberate with the message that even in death there is life.

A motto beloved by harpsichord makers gives a voice to the wood that forms the instrument’s body, “While I loved, I was silent.  Now that I am dead, I sing sweetly”.

Pictured below is the drum set of the Mexican rock band, Mana, with the iconic skull imagery of Dia de Muertos, a celebration that openly acknowledges death and its equalizing power.   And a musician’s casket which emerged from a tradition in southern Ghana, when after a lifetime of holding their instrument, a musician might find comfort in being embraced by its familiar form after death.

PUBLIC PROGRAMS and CATALOGUE

The opening day exhibit featured a live performance by Brooklyn’s Beat Box House  world-champion musicians and the Met is planning ongoing programs including “Artists on Artworks” sessions, “Met Expert” talks and music workshops available to members and non-members.  In addition, the Met Store outside of the exhibit offers a beautifully illustrated catalogue for those wishing to delve deeper into specific works and themes.