The Columbus Museum of Art will partner with the Ohio Union Activities Board to offer students a night at the museum for free on Thursday, March 31. Credit: Courtesy of the Columbus Museum of Art
Ohio State students can experience a blend of fashion and art Friday, as the Ohio Union Activities Board and Scarlette Magazine will jointly host “A Night at the Museum — Gone Vogue.”
The free event will begin at 6 p.m. at the Columbus Museum of Art — located at 480 E. Broad St. — and feature live entertainment, student artwork and fashion-inspired exhibits.
As the university’s only student-run fashion magazine, Scarlette helped shape the event’s theme with OUAB, said Ella Dipold, the publication’s editor-in-chief and a fourth-year in studio art and marketing. Dipold said the two organizations worked together to bring style and creativity into the spotlight.
For Scarlette Magazine, Dipold said the collaboration provided a chance to further the staff’s mission to promote creative expression through fashion. She said Scarlette’s goal is to bridge the gap between personal style and broader fashion culture, an objective that is directly reflected through this event.
“I think personal representation has to do with style, whereas fashion has to do more with the collective and everything around us,” Dipold said. “So, to have this event be a place where everyone involved in that community can come together is going to be a really fun space.”
Dipold said the “Gone Vogue” theme was partially inspired by the annual Met Gala, and Scarlette wanted to bring that same mix of high fashion and artistic energy to CMA.
Along with visual art and live performances, Dipold said attendees are encouraged to show up in stylish looks that match the event’s celebration of fashion as art.
“You can expect artwork [and] performances from fellow students and community [members] that have signed up. I myself have some art in the show,” Dipold said. “There’s visual art, like 2D, which is like my work. But then there’s also another room, a performance hall, where there’s people performing dances and singing.”
Stephanie Houser — a fourth-year in English and philosophy, as well as the director of OUAB’s visual and fine arts committee — said in an email OUAB saw this year’s event as an opportunity to collaborate with Scarlette Magazine and highlight fashion in a new way.
Houser said for a while now, OUAB has wanted to showcase fashion as a form of artistic expression, making this year’s theme a natural fit for the organization and Scarlette.
A piece of artwork by Sofija Ristovska is going to be displayed at the “Night at the Museum — Gone Vogue” event Friday at the Columbus Museum of Art. Credit: Courtesy of Sofija Ristovska
“We are all about exploring new mediums and allowing unique expressions of art,” Houser said. “We hope that this makes students think about the impact and inner workings of art and fashion. We also encourage students to check out the art clubs on campus and highlight individual artists on campus.”
The event will also feature student artists like Sofija Ristovska, a second-year in health sciences, whose piece was inspired by the Rococo period, Vivienne Westwood and the work of manga artist Daisuke Igarashi. She said in an email her artwork features a girl in Rococo-style fashion, surrounded by foxes and rabbits chasing one another in a cycle, which blends the delicate and the fierce.
“I hope people find the beauty that I aimed to express in all the details of the piece, and it inspires them to find their own versions of beauty in their worlds,” Ristovska said. “Whether that’s going on to create something of their own, or just beginning to recognize beauty in their experiences.”
Ristovska said having her work shown in the exhibit is especially meaningful, as she is rebuilding her creative momentum.
“I’m slowly getting back into the rhythm of creating more often and regaining motivation,” Ristovska said. “I hope to become more involved in the art community at Ohio State, and I look forward to seeing everyone’s art at the event.”
Houser encouraged students to fully embrace the night’s theme and support their peers.
“Dress fashionable; dress to impress,” Houser said. “Make sure to take photos, especially in our photobooth, and please be supportive of the artists and show your appreciation by following them on social media.”
No ticket is required for entry. Two shuttles will run throughout the evening between campus and the museum, with pickup locations at the Ohio Union’s 12th Avenue Loop and Archer House. Free parking is also available at the museum after 5:15 p.m.
For more information about the event, visit OUAB’s Instagram page.
