Flaunt: When Appearance Speaks Exhibition | Preview Party

Step into a night of wonder and imagination at our joyful exhibition opening party on Friday, October 9, 2026! Flaunt: When Appearance Speaks is the American Visionary Art Museum’s 31^st major thematic exhibition about how we adorn ourselves (description below); it promises to push the limitations of imagination! Be the first to see this immersive set of installations during our exclusive preview celebration, giving guests views of American-based works newly created for Flaunt and some European works debuting in the United States! In addition to delicious food and fun drinks, playful surprises await our attendees…

Join Director Ellen Owens, Curator Gage Branda, and artists in the exhibition for brief remarks in the Anita Roddick Tall Sculpture Barn at 7:15, followed by Flaunt: When Appearance Speaks official unveiling at 7:30 in the Zanvyl A. Krieger Main Building.

-Enjoy light fare by Zeffert & Gold catering

-Sip on a fun signature cocktail created for the evening

-Dance the night away with DJ Carl of Collective DJs 

–Suggested Attire: “No where to wear this!”

Did you buy an outfit and it just didn’t work out and now you’re stuck with it? Are you afraid to wear an outrageous ensemble outside of your house? Well, our Flaunt Preview Party is just the place to wear that outfit!

About the Exhibition:

Flaunt: When Appearance Speaks features more than 60 works from artists working across drawing, portraiture, photography, fiber, wearable form, and sculpture, often using transformed everyday materials like buttons, pipe cleaners, and bark. In a twist on conventional thinking, Flaunt asks visitors not to go below the surface, but rather to examine how much feeling, invention, humor, protection, and self-authorship are right in front of our eyes.

Visitors will encounter intricately woven sweaters, fuzzy full-body suits, hats made of woven wood, garments totally covered in buttons, and many other unexpected objects to be worn. Guests can fulfill their desire to touch these art objects with fabric swatches nearby many of the displays. The exhibition will also host a custom interactive photo booth selfie-station for visitors to style their own image.

Cost: $50.00 – General admission, tickets coming soon!

Fan Club Members are FREE. Fan Club Members, please sign-in to reserve your FREE Ticket. The number of free tickets that can be reserved correlates with membership level – Single Fan = 1 Ticket, Dual Fan = 2 Tickets and so on. Contact Melissa if you would like to upgrade your membership – [email protected].

PLEASE NOTE: Free Passes are not applicable for AVAM events. GENERAL ADMISSION TICKETS WILL NOT BE SOLD AT THE DOOR. Tickets are not transferable. No refunds will be issued. But fear not! You can snag a Fan Club Membership, which is your golden ticket to free entry to the party!

Pictured above: Shawn Payne, Tinkerbell Heels, 2026