FLOTUS just opened two art exhibits, and one was at the Met
First lady Jill Biden on fashion: “Our style helps us express things that can’t be put in words"
In less than two weeks, first lady Dr. Jill Biden opened not one, but two art exhibitions, including one in her own house, and the other at the Met.
Late last month, Biden opened an East Wing exhibition of artwork from children from military-connected families. She tweeted that art gives the children of service members and veterans “an outlet to express their experiences.”
Then on Monday, FLOTUS opened the preview of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's In America: An Anthology of Fashion ahead of the Met Gala with a speech about the role fashion plays in making a statement.
“Our style helps us express things that can’t be put in words,” she said. “We reveal and conceal who we are with symbols and shapes, colors and cuts — and who creates them.”
Biden said she decided to wear a sunflower on her sleeve to the State of the Union to show support for Ukraine because she thought the only thing reported about her that night was what she wore.
“I ordered sunflower appliqués — the flower of Ukraine and a symbol of hope and solidarity — and had one sewn on the cuff of my dress,” she said. “I knew I was sending a message without saying a word: that Ukraine was in our hearts and that we stood with them.”
Biden called the history of American design “rich and deep” and said it has “often been written by those in the shadows.”
“As we celebrate the designers and the fashion that has shaped the very identity of America, I hope it will inspire all of us to keep learning,” she said. “I hope it will help us to see the beauty and art that surrounds us every day, and most importantly, I hope it will remind us to be bold and brave.”
Biden did not stay for the gala.