DVF x Ashley Longshore Portraits of Inspiring Women

UPDATE: Although the exhibit was supposed to end in 2019, it is still up and available for viewing as of June 2021. The gallery has been slightly updated since the time I attended and wrote this blog post. There are some new portraits to see, so I’m hoping to make it back over there sometime!

Recently, my friend Rachel and I went to Manhattan to check out a very special DVF x Ashley Longhorn exhibit. It was so beautiful and inspiring! So I wanted to share it with everyone who is unable to see it in person. The Belgian fashion designer (and former princess) Diane von Furstenberg and American artist Ashley Longshore collaborated for a small and unique art gallery located in the DVF flagship shore in Manhattan, at 874 Washington Street.

In honor of Women’s History Month, the gallery featured 37 portraits of extraordinary women. The fun pop art creations included DVF herself, along with Michelle Obama, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Jackie Kennedy, Cleopatra, Oprah, Frida Kahlo, Beyonce, Gloria Steinem, Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, and even Barbie. The walls were pink and there were butterflies and animal print details everywhere. Truly, my ideal art exhibit.

The exhibit was free to attend. The works of art were available to purchase (for MUCH more than I could afford). It was a really nice after-work stop. Since it was just one room, you could essentially see everything within 10 minutes. However, you know I took my sweet time taking photos. I really love how Longshore seamlessly displayed historic and present day badass women side-by-side.

In an interview with WWD, Longshore said, “I created 37 paintings in two weeks. I was painting with an ice pack on my shoulder, and taking lots of Advil and icing my wrist at night. It was totally worth it. This is what I was born to do. You get an opportunity from an iconic, incredible woman like Diane von Furstenberg and you paint until your fingers bleed.”

Now that’s what I call inspiring! Her passion really shows and I am excited to purchase her new book, I Do Not Cook, I Do Not Clean, I Do Not Fly Commercial.