The Greatest Art Costumes From Hyperallergic's Halloween Party
From “Las Dos Fridas” to a walking Eva Hesse sculpture, Hyperallergic members, readers, friends, and artists brought the spirit of the season to our second annual costume contest.
A Dutch still life, “Beast Jesus,” several esoteric Goya characters, and not one but two Marina Abramović/Ulay references (and not even the most obvious ones!) walk into a bar ... That’s a Hyperallergic Halloween, baby!
On Wednesday evening, October 28, almost 200 of our members, readers, artists, supporters, and their enthusiastic friends rolled into Oberon in Brooklyn for our annual art costume party. Winners in several categories ranging from “Best in Show” to “Most Likely to Get Censored in Florida” brought out the art-history nerd within them, materializing into both immediately recognizable icons — Roy Lichtenstein's “Drowning Girls” and Johannes Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring” — and admirably obscure references (oh, she was an Eva Hesse rope sculpture?!).
We’re so grateful to our absurdly smart, creative, and crafty community for their commitment to the bit. And a big shout-out to Zac Thompson for their incredible photographs, which will help us relive the night for many moons, or at least as we wait impatiently for next year ... 🌝
Best in Show
Best in Show winners Emilio Rojas and Chico Raro as Pedro Lemebel and Francisco Casa Silva of Las Yeguas del Apocalipsis’s “Las Dos Fridas” (1989). No bribing was necessary to convince the panel.
Most Esoteric
Zoë Lescaze and Michael Rossi made every part of their costumes from scratch — yes, including the chair — to dress as lesser-known characters from Francisco Goya's Los caprichos (1797–98) series. The couple was among the winners of the "Most Esoteric" award, naturally.
Most Likely to Get Censored in Florida
Richard Prince's "Wayward Nurse" (2005), part of the artist's series critiquing the sexualization of nurses on pulp-fiction book covers, would not fly in the Sunshine State in 2026!
Most Likely to Get Acquired by a Museum Unironically
Curators and staff from the Heckscher Museum of Art in Huntington, New York, recreated a painting from the institution's own collection: George Grosz's antifascist "Eclipse of the Sun" (1926).
People's Choice
Melissa Brown and Marie Lorenz won over the crowd as none other than the infamously botched “Ecce Homo” aka “Beast Jesus” and its author, restorer Cecilia Giménez Zueco!
Hyperallergic Co-founders Veken Gueyikian and Hrag Vartanian with one of this year's costume contest judges, Nicholas D. Lowry, president of Swann Auction Galleries. Veken is Kazimir Malevich’s “Black Square” (1915), and Vartanian is a 17th-century Dutch still life painting — check out the skull! (Memento mori, very Halloween-coded.)
Our wonderful costume contest judges! Left to right: New York Democratic Congressional candidate Claire Valdez, artist Jia Sung as the Spirit of Spirit Airlines (aka what everyone used to take to get to Art Basel Miami Beach), critic Aruna D’Souza in sleek black feathers, and Nicholas D. Lowry as a fashionable pumpkin in plaid.
Hyperallergic Staff Writer Anna Lee as Johannes Vermeer’s “Girl with a Pearl Earring” (c. 1665) — an art-history classic, made otherworldly by photographer Zac Thompson’s expert double exposure.
These guests brought Museo del Prado right to your doorstep as a rather gory version of Francisco Goya's “Saturn Devouring His Son” (1820–23). Body horror!
Artist Coco Fusco donned one of the fabulous works in Marisol's wearable wooden sculpture "Three Women with Umbrella" (1965–66). Who says Pop art is dead?
If we had a “Cutest” category this year, this pawesome group would have taken the gold! Left to right: Will Swanson, Dwai, Cosette Patterson, Lauren Blaser, Shelby Roller, Sophia Tedesco, and Daniela Alonso as Cassius Marcellus Coolidge’s “A Friend in Need” (1903).
Emily Dotsikas of Alma Communications as Roy Lichtenstein’s “Drawing Girl” (1963). Brad, who?
Hyperallergic Editor-in-Chief Hakim Bishara addresses the crowd after a very competitive contest. Just don't ask him what his costume is!
Marina Abramović and Ulay’s “Rest Energy” (1980). There’s nothing scarier than a multi-year situationship, except maybe literally putting your heart in the hands of your lover.
Hyperallergic Staff Writer Rhea Nayyar went as Snoopy for the fourth year in a row, a costume she calls her “magnum opus.”
“I made this Snoopy costume with stuff that I already had at home — the ears, spot, and tail were from an old black tee; I painted an old beauty blender black and used it as Snoopy's nose,” Nayyar shared. “My love of this cartoon beagle is well-known and documented. I'm already a crazy dog lady, but there's something about Snoopy's cheeky attitude and ridiculous antics that flips the script on the ‘man's best friend’ marker, which I find really liberating and inspirational.”
Writer Clara Maria Apostolatos (right) and her partner joined forces, quite literally, to embody Marina Abramović and Ulay’s “Relation in Time” (1977).
What still life is complete without its peckish butterfly? Houry Geudelekian and Hyperallergic Co-founder and Editor-at-Large Hrag Vartanian make a perfect pair.
Us: “What are you?”
Artist Danielle De Jesus: “I'm a broke MFA student!”
Just brilliant, down to the Whitney Museum artist lifetime pass!
Hyperallergic contributors Julie Schneider (middle) as a Keith Haring subway drawing and Daniela Mayer (far right) as an AI girlfriend, with Felix Moody as water and Brian Henderson as Candy Warhol (not pictured: candy corn costume).
Artists Jesse Lambert as Ray Johnson and Linda Ganjian as Eva Hesse's rope sculpture "No title" (1970). Is this what they mean by a two-person show?
Writer Jennifer Samet of Hyperallergic's beloved “Beer With a Painter” column arrived as the ultimate tastemaker: Peggy Guggenheim.
Cheryl Hageman, deputy director of MTA Arts & Design, as a painting from Georgia O'Keeffe's Sky Above Clouds (1960–77) series.
