At the Met Gala on Monday evening, "camp" will be on display. But what exactly is camp? It's a question many are asking but few can answer. When the curators and co-chairs (who this year include Lady Gaga and Harry Styles) chose the theme for this year’s annual fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, they decided to call it: “Camp: Notes on Fashion,” a play on writer Susan Sontag’s seminal essay, “Notes on Camp.” In 1964, Sontag tried to make sense of the notoriously hard-to-define aesthetic in her bullet-pointed treatise by saying camp is the “love of the unnatural: of artifice and exaggeration.” Susan Sontag holds the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade in the Paul's church of Frankfurt, central Germany on Oct. 12, 2003. Michael Probst / AP file Camp, she laid out, “sees everything in quotation marks” and is “something of a private code, a badge of identity.” Camp, as Sontag and others have defined it, is often over-the-top, gaudy, extreme and playful. Now, New York City’s largest museum is paying homage to Susan Sontag, and to camp. The "Camp: Notes on Fashion" exhibit has more than 200 pieces of "camp" that span several centuries, and there's an entire room dedicated to Sontag, who died in 2004 at the age of 71. The exhibit will open to the public Thursday and will be on display until early September. Andrew Bolton, the head curator of the Met's Costume Institute, said that since announcing the theme, people keep asking him the same two questions: "What is camp?" and "Why did you choose it?" Bolton knows the Met selected a notoriously elusive theme. “Camp is a site of debate rather than consensus,” he said. Kareem Khubchandani, a performance studies and queer studies professor at Tufts University, said one way to see camp is that it “makes profane the things that are sacred.” Rihanna arrives for the 2018 Met Gala on May 7, 2018, at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Hector Retamal / AFP - Getty Images file Khubchandani thinks “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination,” last year’s Met Gala theme, was a good example of camp. “Religion isn’t thought of as fashion,” he explained, it’s something serious and hallowed. Turning it into attire for an extravagant gala — that’s camp. (Rihanna dressed up as the Pope, very campy). Bolton agrees last year’s gala was "absolutely” campy. “I think most red carpet is actually camp, it’s about performance, it’s about presenting a more exaggerated side of yourself.” But if every red carpet is camp, Bolton added, this year's Met Gala "will probably be more campy than other carpets.” Bolton thinks camp, which he said is "by its nature subversive," makes sense as a theme in 2019. “We’re experiencing a resurgence of camp, not just in fashion, but in culture in general," he explained. "Camp tends to come to the fore during moments of social and political instability." Another crucial aspect of camp that Khubchandani emphasized is its deep ties to queer culture and identity. One of the ways we can understand camp, Khubchandani explained, is “as a queer way of knowing.” Artist Bruce LaBruce expanded on this idea in his manifesto, “Notes on Camp/Anti Camp," in which he wrote that camp “was developed as a secret language in order to identify oneself to like-minded or similarly closeted homosexuals." “Something that was camp, could be seen entirely differently by a straight audience and a queer audience," LaBruce continued. He described figures like bawdy actress Mae West and the films of John Waters as classic gay camp. Bjork's iconic and campy swan dress from the 73rd Annual Academy Awards in 2001 is now on display at the Met. SGranitz / WireImage file Bolton acknowledges that camp — what it is, and who can do camp — can be quite polarizing. “One of the criticisms of Sontag’s essay was that she downplayed the queer origins of camp,” he said. Some people think camp can exclusively be performed by queer people, others disagree. LaBruce, in some way, foretold something like a camp-themed Met Gala. “Camp is now for the masses,” he said in 2012. “It’s a sensibility that has been appropriated by the mainstream.” For some, camp’s mainstreaming is its death. But Khubchandani doesn’t necessarily see it this way. “A lot of white queer scholars worry that camp is disappearing because it’s a 'gay way of knowing,' and gays are being incorporated into the mainstream,” he said. “But what that ignores is there are different types of queer people always emerging who have never had purchase.” New forms of camp, Khubchandani explained, by queer people of color, trans people and immigrant LGBTQ folks, are being born as we speak. “Camp always emerges on the margins,” he said. For Monday’s event, Bolton is hoping attendees embrace the theme, take it to its max, and have fun, but he knows he is giving his attendees a challenge. “I think initially you think it’s easy, but in actual fact it's hard," he said of deciding on a "campy" costume for the gala. “It’s easier to see and recognize camp than to describe it,” Bolton added. "If people overthink it, it might border into something that isn’t camp.” For those still trying to figure out camp, Bolton points to a quote by cultural historian Andy Medhurst. “Trying to define camp,” Medhurst said, “is like attempting to sit in the corner of a circular room.” FOLLOW NBC OUT ON TWITTER, FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM<doc-sep>ROBERTA SMITH I also had high hopes for this show, without quite knowing what I was hoping for. I reread Sontag, and by the end, despite her brilliance in identifying it, she makes camp seem fairly large and elastic — and it’s become only more so. Also there’s the issue of being outdated in terms of contemporary culture. FRIEDMAN The justification for doing this now, in an institution like the Met, seems to be that in periods of great divisions and dissent, camp, with its multiple interpretations and exaggerated aesthetic, rises to the fore. Camp also functions as a safe space for marginalized groups to engage in self-expression and cultural commentary. Yet I did not feel, looking at the clothes — even the Viktor & Rolf meme-bait tulle bombs that I just saw on the runway in January — that what I was seeing was a visual expression of this moment. Though I did get a sense of its place in a historical and artistic tradition. SMITH What would Sontag have cited as camp today, when we seem to be up to our necks in it? Still, even before rereading “Notes on ‘Camp,’” a thumb-through of the show’s lavish if cumbersome catalog excited me. It raised two very art-specific ideas. First, that camp begins with the invention of the contrapposto pose — one hip thrust out, elbow cocked — in Greek sculpture, which seems brilliant, as well as apt because of the Greek acceptance of love between men. Second, there was the notion that the Pre-Raphaelite painters were camp — innocent or inadvertent camp, according to Sontag . This idea made me much more sympathetic to the excess and overt displays of skills of these artists, although I’m not sure how they would have taken it. So I expected the show to shake me up. But once beyond the historical material, it looked surprisingly predictable and not very coded, either. FRIEDMAN Funny, I also thought the beginning was by far the most compelling section. I loved seeing that little bronze classical nude of Belvedere Antinous from 1630 (attributed to Pietro Tacca) in the entrance gallery with the Mapplethorpe photo of the marble Antinous from 1987, the Vivienne Westwood tights with the mirrored olive leaf over the crotch and the photograph from Hal Fischer’s 1977 “Gay Semiotics.” All of these male nudes have their elbows cocked out from one hip in that classic exaggerated pose of “se camper.” That, to me, was a powerful argument for camp as a cultural through-line.<doc-sep>Who are the kings and queens of camp? The theme of Monday's Met Gala celebrated "Camp: Notes on Fashion." Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour explained the theme's meaning to Jenna Bush Hager on "Today" last week. "It's everything that's completely artificial and fake and not really what you think it means," said Wintour. We applaud these stars for not being afraid to fully embrace the theme. Lady Gaga March 28, 1986, a Met Gala star was born. Gaga, a co-chair of this year's event wore several looks by Brandon Maxwell. She enlisted the help of several people to help carry her long, hot-pink train. Beneath her overcoat, Gaga hid several more ensembles. She removed her outer layer to reveal a strapless black dress with a fitted, asymmetric bodice. Beneath the black dress, a sleek, pink column gown. Underneath that frock, a black bra and underwear set with fishnet stockings. More:Lady Gaga strips down to her bra and underwear on the Met Gala carpet More:Met Gala 2019 worst dressed: Kim and Kanye West, Harry Styles and other boring looks Cardi B Another singer also knew how to grab eyes on the carpet. Cardi B wowed in a design by Thom Browne that was the antithesis of minimalism – perfect for the night's theme. The crimson look featured a jeweled cap, feathered shoulders and massive circular train. Billy Porter Porter spread his gilded wings on the carpet after being carried in by half a dozen men in gold pants, with their chests exposed. The actor/singer has The Blonds to thank for his Egyptian-inspired outfit and Giuseppe Zanotti to thank for his shoes. Ahead of his arrival, the "Pose" actor told Vogue of camp: "When it’s done properly, it’s one of the highest forms of fashion and art.” Ryan Murphy The "American Horror Story" co-creator showed up ready to suffer in the name of fashion. Murphy's blush and peach Christian Siriano ensemble was a tribute to Liberace. Unfortunately, as Murphy tells it, the look was "literal hell." "I had to lay down in the car, it weighs a hundred pounds, and I'm harnessed in," he told E! on the carpet. "But ya know, anything for fashion, right?" More:Anna Wintour reveals Karl Lagerfeld made her Met Gala gown before his death Celine Dion Our love for Dion's Met Gala look will (sings) "go oooonnnnn." Being instantly turned into a meme pretty much cements one's place on the best-dressed list at the gala. Dion went for it in an Oscar de la Renta ensemble with glitzy fringe. More:Celine Dion hits Met Gala carpet in feathered ensemble - and instantly gets memed Janelle Monae Hats off to Monae for her whimsical Met Gala look. The singer/actress sported an artsy look by Christian Siriano with pops of pink and red. Kacey Musgraves The event might've been a "Barbie World" for the "Rainbow" singer. Musgraves arrived at her first Met by Barbie pink car. She donned a long, blond wig with wavy locks and a vibrant coat dress by Moschino. Lupita Nyong'o The actress made a red carpet statement in a technicolor Versace number featuring bright fuchsia and lime green. Her hair was adorned with a handful of gilded picks. Cara Delevingne The model earned her stripes when it comes to nailing a theme. Delevingne's headpiece constructed of fake bananas, eyeballs and teeth complemented her rainbow-striped outfit from Dior Haute Couture. Elle Fanning Fanning brought the funk to the fundraising event in a youthful ensemble. Her look screamed over-the-top from head to toe. Even the silhouette of her Miu Miu ensemble was exaggerated, with its bell sleeves and wide-leg trousers. She accessorized with chunky necklaces and charms on her long nails. Contributing: Maeve McDermott More:Katy Perry, wearing a 40-pound chandelier, is literally lit at the Met Gala More:Creepy! Jared Leto carries his own head at Met Gala, beard and all<doc-sep>
In anticipation of the this year's fashion prom, we're breaking down what the exhibit's theme really means and what you can expect to see on the red carpet Every year on the First Monday in May, the Metropolitan Museum of Art hosts the Costume Institute Gala to kick off the opening of its popular fashion exhibit at The Costume Institute. The Met Gala’s dress code always honors the exhibit’s theme. Whether paying homage to a designer like Alexander McQueen in 2011’s “Savage Beauty,” or tackling broader themes like 2018’s “Fashion and the Catholic Imagination,” most stars take the dress code very seriously on the red carpet. And this year, we expect it to be no different, especially because the theme leaves much room for playful, exaggerated interpretation. The 2019 theme is, “Camp: Notes on Fashion,” which, no, isn’t a reference to the outdoor activity that involves pitching a tent, but rather a nod to Susan Sontag’s 1964 essay, Notes on “Camp,” which begins by defining the term as “its love of the unnatural, of artifice and exaggeration.” Noting that with camp, it’s not about talking in “terms of beauty” but rather “in terms of the degree of artifice, of stylization.” In the essay Sontag breaks down the sensibility of camp in 58 bullet points and begins by explaining that not everything can be camp, but many things, ideas and objects can be considered “campy.” She noted that songs, movies, buildings, furniture, novels, people and, of course, clothes, all can encompass camp. In fact, Sontag gives her own examples of “campy” things which included Tiffany lamps, Swan Lake, King Kong and Flash Gordon comics. Be sure to check out all of PEOPLE’s Met Gala coverage to get the latest news on fashion’s biggest night. “Whether it’s pop camp, queer camp, high camp or political camp — Trump is a very camp figure — I think it’s very timely,” the curator of the institute, Andrew Bolton, told the New York Times about his choice. “Much of high camp is a reaction to something.” Another reason this is a fitting theme for the night is that designers are embracing camp in collections and runway shows now more than ever before. Gucci’s creative director Alessandro Michele, who’s serving as a co-chair at this year’s gala, regularly embraces camp themes whether it’s with his gender-bending suits (beloved by Cate Blanchett and Harry Styles) or exaggerated theatrics at his shows (remember when he sent models down the catwalk carrying replicas of their own heads?). 'The Today Show' Citi Concert Series, New York, USA - 09 May 2017 Credit: Erik Pendzich/REX/Shutterstock Gucci - Runway - Milan Fashion Week FW 18/19, Italy - 21 Feb 2018 Credit: MATTEO BAZZI/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock Another main component of camp is its preference to “seeing everything in quotation marks.” And one designer who embraces that sensibility is Virgil Abloh, who has been placing quotation marks on pieces throughout his Off-White line the last few seasons. Viktor & Rolf is another brand that perfectly embodies the theme thanks to the fall 2019 collection that featured exaggerated tiered tulle gowns with cheeky phrases like “Less Is More” and “I’m Not Shy I Just Don’t Like You” in the center of the gown. As Sontag put it in her essay, the “hallmark” or Camp is “the spirit of extravagance.” Viktor & Rolf : Runway - Paris Fashion Week - Haute Couture Spring Summer 2019 According to Sontag, “the essential element is seriousness, a seriousness that fails. Of course, not all seriousness that fails can be redeemed as Camp. Only that which has the proper mix of the exaggerated, the fantastic, the passionate, and the naïve.” She explains that when something is bad, not camp, it was “too mediocre in its ambition.” The seriousness in Moschino’s candy-colored Babie-esque dresses can be seen as camp, like in 2016 when paper doll dresses were sent down the runway. Moschino show, Runway, Spring Summer 2017, Milan Fashion Week, Italy - 22 Sep 2016 Credit: Giovanni Giannoni/WWD/REX/Shutterstock So which stars are likely to embrace the over-the-top exuberance of camp? Most likely the celebrities who regularly go over-the-top (we’re looking at you, Rihanna, who wore a papal headpiece last year).