The Metropolitan Museum of Art has opened 'Musical Bodies,' an exhibition curated by Bradley Strauchen-Scherer that explores the relationship between musical instruments and the human body. The show features over 130 objects spanning 4,000 years, including Prince's 'Love Symbol' guitar, Liberace's 'Piano Keys' suit, a Tom Ford ensemble worn by Zazie Beetz, ancient Egyptian rattles, and works by Titian and Edgar Degas. The opening included private tours, performances by percussionist Javier Diaz, flamenco dancer Cristina Candela, and Beatbox House, with guests such as Billy Squier and RuPaul's Drag Race winner Nymphia Wind in attendance.
This exhibition matters because it reframes musical instruments not merely as tools for sound but as extensions of the human body, touching on themes of spirituality, sexuality, identity, and mortality across cultures and centuries. By drawing from all 17 curatorial departments of the Met and including loans from major international institutions, 'Musical Bodies' demonstrates the museum's commitment to interdisciplinary, immersive storytelling that connects ancient artifacts with contemporary popular culture, potentially attracting new audiences and deepening public engagement with the museum's vast collections.