Best of Cincinnati City Beat 2018

Best Use of Wigs in an Art Exhibition

"Immerse" at Pique

A survey of the sea, religion and more, Immerse marked local wigmaker and artist Stacey Vest’s first solo exhibition. Vest’s fantastical, towering wigs have appeared everywhere from atop Cincinnati artist and educator Pam Kravetz’s head (in her many parade appearances, including BLINK), at The Carnegie’s annual Art of Food shebang and parties around the world. Housed at Covington’s Pique gallery/Airbnb, Vest took over the space with a multidimensional installation — wall art, costumes, jewelry, lights and music — that went all the way to hell and back. As guests came in, they were greeted by a beach in the front gallery and then a colorful coral reef. Dive deeper and the gallery became an abyss or purgatory, where a fluorescent balloon “anemone” could have been “an enemy.” The final space — an area of reflection with mirrors and a slideshow of the making of this exhibit and Vest’s previous work — was “whatever someone wants it to be,” she said. “It’s like Voltaire meets Salman Rushdie’s kids’ books meets Tim Burton.” And yes: There were live models sporting the works alongside mannequins.  Pique, 210 W. Pike St., Covington, piquewebsite.com.