A Night at the Museum of Contemporary Art

Glamorous gowns, high heels, makeup, hairspray. Last Saturday, my friends, aka sisters, and I spent hours getting all dressed up, then danced the night away at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA) for our sorority’s annual formal. This was my first time to attend a social event held at a museum, and it was an amazing experience. Strolling around the museum in a peacock blue—Pantone #2193, to be precise—chiffon cocktail dress featuring a lace-appliquéd corset, paired with nude 4” pumps, made me feel as though I had walked out of a gala that would be featured in the TV show Gossip Girl. Admittedly, it was borrowed, but, hey, what are big sisters for?

Unlike the prom-like setting one would expect to find at a typical formal, the MCA venue provided a memorable secondary experience: art. What a great surprise, to have had the opportunity to spend part of the night indulging in the artwork that was on display in the galleries on the second floor. It was refreshing and inspiring to revel in the various exhibits. One room featured Katheryn Andrew’s collection, Run for President, which “examines how image producers—such as artists, corporations, Hollywood studios, and politicians…mirror and shape social values at large.” Just for that night, the museum’s café space was turned into a dance floor featuring an intervention by Johnston Marklee’s Grid Is A Grid Is A Grid Is A Grid Is A Grid for the inaugural Chicago Architecture Biennial.

The artwork created a unique backdrop for all the photos that we took over the course of the evening, which added a special element to what, otherwise, would have been a typical formal. Alpha Delta Pi’s Starry, Starry Night dance at the Museum of Contemporary art was a first for the sorority. I would definitely call it a success and look forward to more city-venue events.