Afterlives: Contemporary Art in the Byzantine Crypt

Since the 4th century, relics and visions of the afterlife have fascinated artists. The “Afterlives” exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art offers a unique transhistorical experience: contemporary artworks engage with an exceptional collection of Egyptian Byzantine funerary objects, originating from monasteries and religious sites. This immersive presentation, installed in the crypt of the Mary and Michael Jaharis Galleries, explores the themes of memory and heritage through sculptures, works on paper, and installations ranging from the 1960s to today. Adrian Piper’s “Everything #4” is a central point of the exhibition, inviting a profound reflection on time and mortality. Thanks to a discerning selection, the exhibition invites a meditation on the relationship between the past and the present, the sacred and the profane. Admission is free. The exhibition is open from January 29, 2024, to January 10, 2027.