BROOKLYN, NY — A Dutch still life painting walked into a bar, followed closely by the famously botched "Beast Jesus," several esoteric characters straight out of Francisco Goya’s imagination, and not one, but two remarkably committed homages to the performance art of Marina Abramović and Ulay. This was not the setup to an avant-garde joke, but rather the vibrant reality of Hyperallergic’s annual art costume party, held on the evening of Wednesday, October 28.
Nearly 200 members, readers, artists, supporters, and enthusiastic friends rolled into Oberon in Brooklyn to celebrate the spooky season through a distinctly high-culture lens. Transforming themselves into both immediately recognizable icons and wonderfully obscure art-historical references, attendees brought out their inner art history nerds to compete for coveted titles across several whimsical categories.
The evening showcased the absurdly smart, creative, and crafty nature of the publication’s community, with participants demonstrating an impressive commitment to their chosen bits. Capturing the night’s fleeting brilliance for posterity, photographer Zac Thompson provided expert documentation, ensuring the elaborate costumes can be appreciated for many moons to come. From meticulously handcrafted props to clever double-exposure photography, the event underscored just how deeply art history can resonate when filtered through the lens of Halloween creativity.
Best in Show
The evening’s highest honor, the "Best in Show" award, went to Emilio Rojas and Chico Raro. The duo captivated both the crowd and the judging panel by embodying Pedro Lemebel and Francisco Casa Silva of Las Yeguas del Apocalipsis, specifically recreating their powerful 1989 performance piece "Las Dos Fridas." According to organizers, no behind-the-scenes bribing was necessary to convince the discerning panel of judges that this striking presentation deserved the top spot of the night.
Most Esoteric
For those whose costumes required a deep dive into the obscure recesses of art history, the competition was fierce. However, Zoë Lescaze and Michael Rossi ultimately claimed a win in the "Most Esoteric" category through sheer dedication. The couple made every single part of their costumes from scratch—an ambitious feat that notably included handcrafting an entire chair—to dress as lesser-known characters from Francisco Goya’s iconic late-18th-century Los Caprichos print series.
Most Likely to Get Censored in Florida
In a nod to contemporary political discourse and regional censorship battles, the category recognizing work "Most Likely to Get Censored in Florida" proved particularly topical. The nod went to a recreation of Richard Prince’s 2005 work "Wayward Nurse," a piece drawn from the artist’s well-known series critiquing the hyper-sexualization of nurses on pulp-fiction book covers. Judges and attendees alike agreed that the bold costume would likely face an uphill battle in the Sunshine State.
Most Likely to Get Acquired by a Museum Unironically
Blurring the lines between live performance and institutional curation, a group of curators and staff members from the Heckscher Museum of Art in Huntington, New York, stepped forward to claim the award for the costume "Most Likely to Get Acquired by a Museum Unironically." The group successfully brought a flat canvas into the three-dimensional world by recreating a major painting from their own institution’s collection: George Grosz’s hard-hitting 1926 anti-fascist masterwork, "Eclipse of the Sun."
People’s Choice
When it came to winning over the broader crowd, the "People’s Choice" award went to a universally recognized internet phenomenon. Melissa Brown and Marie Lorenz brought down the house by portraying the infamously botched 2012 restoration of Elías García Martínez’s fresco "Ecce Homo"—affectionately and widely known across the internet as "Beast Jesus"—alongside its unwitting creator, restorer Cecilia Giménez Zueco.
A Night of Icons, Curators, and Canines
The festivities were overseen by an eclectic panel of judges and publication figures. Hyperallergic Co-founders Veken Gueyikian and Hrag Vartanian mingled with guests in costume, with Gueyikian appearing as Kazimir Malevich’s minimalist milestone "Black Square" (1915) and Vartanian taking on the role of a 17th-century Dutch still life painting complete with a traditional memento mori skull. Later in the evening, Vartanian was spotted paired with Houry Geudelekian, completing the still-life tableau with the addition of a peckish butterfly.
The judging panel itself brought a formidable mix of political, critical, and artistic perspectives. Joining the proceedings were New York Democratic Congressional candidate Claire Valdez; artist Jia Sung, who appeared as the "Spirit of Spirit Airlines"—a nostalgic nod to the transit once heavily relied upon by travelers heading to Art Basel Miami Beach; critic Aruna D’Souza, draped in sleek black feathers; and Nicholas D. Lowry, president of Swann Auction Galleries, who dressed as a remarkably fashionable pumpkin in plaid.
The breadth of art history on display throughout the venue was staggering. Hyperallergic Staff Writer Anna Lee embodied Johannes Vermeer’s c. 1665 masterpiece "Girl with a Pearl Earring," a classic art-historical portrait made even more ethereal through Zac Thompson’s expert double-exposure photography. Meanwhile, another group of attendees transported the Museo del Prado directly to Brooklyn with a notably gory, body-horror-inspired take on Francisco Goya’s dark and haunting "Saturn Devouring His Son" (1820–23).
Pop art and modern sculpture also found their champions in the crowd. Artist Coco Fusco stepped out wearing one of the fabulous wearable wooden sculptures from Marisol’s iconic 1965–66 work, "Three Women with Umbrella." In the spirit of camaraderie and canine classicism, a large group consisting of Will Swanson, Dwai, Cosette Patterson, Lauren Blaser, Shelby Roller, Sophia Tedesco, and Daniela Alonso banded together to recreate Cassius Marcellus Coolidge’s 1903 painting "A Friend in Need," colloquially known as part of the Dogs Playing Poker series.
Emily Dotsikas of Alma Communications channeled Roy Lichtenstein’s 1963 "Drawing Girl," while Hyperallergic Editor-in-Chief Hakim Bishara took the stage to address the crowd following the fiercely contested competition, leaving his own costume open to delightful interpretation.
Performance art made multiple appearances, paying homage to legendary collaborative duos. Multiple pairs tackled the intense emotional resonance of Marina Abramović and Ulay. Clara Maria Apostolatos and her partner literally joined forces to embody "Relation in Time" (1977), while another pair recreated "Rest Energy" (1980), capturing the heart-stopping tension of holding a drawn arrow pointed directly at a lover’s heart.
Humor and personal artistic identity were equally present. Artist Danielle De Jesus drew knowing laughs and applause by identifying simply as a "broke MFA student," accessorized perfectly down to a lifetime artist pass for the Whitney Museum. Hyperallergic contributors Julie Schneider and Daniela Mayer appeared as a Keith Haring subway drawing and an AI girlfriend, respectively, alongside Felix Moody as water and Brian Henderson as Candy Warhol.
Other notable literary and artistic figures materialized as the night progressed. Artists Jesse Lambert and Linda Ganjian formed a two-person show by dressing as Ray Johnson and an Eva Hesse rope sculpture, respectively. Jennifer Samet, writer for Hyperallergic’s popular "Beer With a Painter" column, arrived as the ultimate modernist tastemaker, Peggy Guggenheim. Finally, Cheryl Hageman, deputy director of MTA Arts & Design, floated through the venue as a peaceful sky-and-cloud motif drawn from Georgia O’Keeffe’s Sky Above Clouds series (1960–77).
As the celebration wound down, the enduring dedication of the publication’s staff was highlighted by features like Staff Writer Rhea Nayyar, who donned a homemade Snoopy costume for the fourth consecutive year, celebrating the cartoon beagle’s cheeky subversion of the traditional "man’s best friend" trope. With costumes packed away and photographs captured, the community closed out another successful year of art-world revelry, already looking ahead to next October.
