Brooklyn Museum’s Solid Gold Exhibit Showcases 200 Years of Gold

Traditionally, a 50th anniversary calls for gold. But a 200th? That’s a milestone with its own set of rules. And the Brooklyn Museum, celebrating its bicentennial, is embracing this privilege by hosting a gleaming exhibition all about gold itself.

Titled Solid Gold, this show brings together over 500 pieces—everything from art and fashion to jewellery, design and film—all centered on the precious metal that’s woven itself into so many eras and cultures. Spread across eight themed sections, the exhibition blends ancient artifacts with modern pieces, crafting a visual journey that stretches across time. Visitors can expect some unique items, like a rarely-seen sarcophagus lid kept out of sight for over a century, alongside intricate jewellery from ancient Egypt and the Pre-Hispanic America.

For those into modern glamour, this exhibition has plenty to see. There’s a prototype necklace designed for Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra, gowns by John Galliano from his Dior years, and Azzedine Alaïa’s gold-tone chainmail dress made for Tina Turner in 1989. Cartier’s Art Deco watches, Yves Saint Laurent’s 70s pieces and Demna’s recent designs at Balenciaga also make an appearance. The exhibit even covers gold’s use in adornment for smiles, from ancient Panamanian facial jewelry to today’s grills.

While gold is often admired as a mark of success and luxury, the exhibit also digs into its more challenging side, especially the environmental toll. From mines in South Africa to Colombia and Nubia, gold has dramatically reshaped landscapes and ecosystems. This isn’t overlooked—both the curators and artists explore it, including William Kentridge in his 1991 film Mine, which brings these impacts to light.One gallery takes a closer look at the methods artisans, craftsmen, and designers use when working with gold. Gold’s reach expanded in the sixth century BCE, when coinage in ancient Lydia made it more accessible to people beyond royalty and religious rituals. In the 20th century, innovations like laminated Lurex thread and plasticized sequins brought affordable sparkle to fabric, though real gold remained a prized material for fine art and fashion.

Signature Displays

Highlights include Dior’s 1962 “Aladin” ensemble, works by Yves Klein and Howard Ben Tré and jewelry by Suzanne Belperron, Alexander Calder, Charles Loloma, Art Smith and Elsa Schiaparelli. features gold fashion and art from the 1920s and ’30s, including Jean Dupas’s 1934 gold- and silver-leaf panel and Edward Steichen’s Lunar Moth baby grand piano. The 1970s are highlighted with designs by Halston, Norman Norell and Yves Saint Laurent, plus clips from A Chorus Line and The Wiz. The 1980s and ’90s showcase couture pieces by Pierre Cardin, Hubert de Givenchy and Gianfranco Ferré, alongside recent designs by Garth Pugh and Demna of Balenciaga.

The final section honours gold as a symbol of achievement, showcasing items like a Greek gold laurel wreath, modern crowns and awards such as gold medals, records and Oscars. Key pieces include Fulco di Verdura’s tiara, Paul Jabara’s “Last Dance” awards, and Rashaad Newsome’s 2014 work, KNOT.

You can catch Solid Gold at the Brooklyn Museum from November 16, 2024, to July 6, 2025.