How could we forget Mia. She’s the radiant German brunette who we met at the MoMA a few months ago with legs like stilts, a band-aid-covered knee, and unforgettable shiny flats. We remember it like yesterday. She gave us effortless looks and relaxed poses as we snaked through different galleries for a series of unique photos. We recently caught up with Mia to get an update on what she’s been up to, what artists would make the best fashion designers, and how the museum experience could be improved. Full interview here
Mia and Claude Monet Water Lilies (1914–26) at MoMA
(photo by Xavier Aaronson)
BATM: Hey Mia! Introduce yourself for those who don’t know you.
MIA: My name is Mia and I am living in Bremen, Germany right now. I am actually just finishing my Psychology studies, but I have no plan yet what I will do after that. Hopefully my summer will be full of travels!!!
Woohoo! Sounds adventurous. So how did you first meet Babes At The Museum?
Xavier approached me at the MoMa last October. That was such a cool moment!
Was it weird? What what going on in your head when that happened?
I was surprised at first, but then I thought what a great idea this was. I always look what other people wear in museums, too. I also loved that I got to choose my favorite paintings as a background!
We were especially taken by your outfit. Simple yet eye-popping. Do you remember what you were wearing?
I was wearing a vintage top and backpack and DIY American Apparel cut offs. I also wore comfortable flats, I have to wear those in museums or else I won’t last long. I normally spend a lot of time visiting a museum. I often put consideration into what I am wearing, I love fashion and that’s why I have my own fashion blog. In museums there are so many stylish people, of course I want to be one of them, haha.
(Mia with a Piet Mondrian at the MoMA and a band-aid on her knee)
What brought you out to the MoMA that day?
It was my last day in NYC so I had to take the chance to visit the MoMA, I love this museum. I visited the first time in 2005 and fell in love.
Are museum trips for when you’re in a certain mood?
I don’t know which mood…I guess it’s more when I find the time. I am always excited about special exhibitions, and I am sad when I can’t make it to them.
Is there an artist that touches your senses the most?
The artist that touches me the most is Edward Hopper. He created a mysterious and lonely mood in all of his paintings, they are full of emotions. Another one I really like is Joseph Beuys, but I don’t really know why. I like installations a lot, the ones where everyone says “What, some rocks laid around on the floor is art?”, but I really don’t know why. I have to go more to museums, to figure that out!
Edward Hopper Hotel Room (1931) at Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
Joseph Beuys Untitled V at the MoMA
BATM aims to capture a woman’s splendor at the museum, I’m curious what artist you think best portrays the female allure?
Matisse! With his bold colors and soft brush strokes that give every painting the feeling of movement!
Is there something special about museums that keep you coming back?
My love for museums developed during my arts major in high school. It was my favorite subject and we went on many excursions and were able to look at the most amazing pieces that we only knew from our books. It’s so different and so much better to see them in real life!
Sometimes it’s funny when you imagine a famous painting being really huge and you finally see it in real life and it’s tiny. They same counts the other way. I am always amazed about how big Monets paintings are!
Writer and philosopher Alain de Botton once described the British Museum as London’s most romantic landmark, saying “Museums are sexy because you’re able to study people secretly while pretending to stare at the art.” To what extent can museums be romantic for you?
I love observing people, not in a creepy way (ha maybe…) but I love to imagine their story, their relationship and imagine why they are in town, if they are from here or not. So imagining all these stories in my head, I would call romantic.
When you have spare time, what do you like to do?
I love love love to cook, I cook everyday. I also love to paint, lately I am really into painting portraits with oil pastels.
What artist would make the best fashion designer?
That’s a cool question! The first one that popped into my mind is Klimt, with his romantic patterns and gold applications! But many of them would be great. For example Picasso, with his great sense of composition and creativity. Kandinsky as well, I think his paintings should be patterns on many skirts, shirts and dresses!
Do you have a preference over being alone at the museum or going with some friends?
I would consider myself a pretty sociable person, I like experiencing stuff with other people and talk about everything during or after! But going to the museum alone is actually really great! I love taking my time, or skipping paintings that I want to skip. I also love to rent audio guides! I wish all museums would have soft fluffy carpets so I can sit down in front of every painting and listen to the audio guide and its stories to the paintings!
If the museum had to bend the rules on something, what would it be?
Taking photos, that’s allowed so rarely! And as I said, they need more comfortable seating options! Often there is just one little bench in every fourth room that’s mostly occupied by a big family. I love to sit down and take my time just soaking in the piece of art!
Lastly, Germany doesn’t pop up in our head as a museum capital so if we had to shoot in Germany, what museums would you recommend to us?
Come to Bremen!!! We have great museums like the Kunsthalle Bremen or the Weserbug (our MoMA). But I also recommend the Haus der Photographie in Hamburg and the Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin. I always visit the Hamburger Bahnhof museum when I am in Berlin, I don’t even look at which current exhibition they run because it is always amazing there!
Check out Mia’s fashion blog for more photos and some of the paintings she’s created.
