MHS Student Earns National Gold Medal for Art Project

Medford High School student Lisa DiVirgilio has won a gold medal in a national art competition for “I Take Credit,” a sculptural dress made of photocopied dollar bills.

DiVirgilio also earned a Gold Key in the state section of the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards for the dress. The work of state Gold Key winners was then juried in New York for national awards.

DiVirgilio’s sculpture will be shipped to Washington, D.C. to be exhibited at the National Gallery of Art.

In an interview with the Mustang News, DiVirgilio said musician Lady Gaga was the inspiration for the dress.

Mustang News: What was your inspiration for the project?

Lisa DiVirgilio: I give all the credit to Lady Gaga. I knew I wanted to make a dress, but I wanted it out of the ordinary. I looked to Lady Gaga as inspiration because her performance costumes are far from normal. I researched her outfits and then sketched one of my own.

MN: What exactly is your project?

LD: My dress represents “the fame,” which is Lady Gaga’s first album. I defined the fame by creating a dress solely out of money to express the desired package of becoming famous. I connected fame with money since that is the main reason people want to be famous.

MN: What exactly is the dress made of?

LD: The structure of the dress is window screen layered with fabric and then I painted the fabric a silver finish. When the dress was done drying, I then started to glaze “mod podge” on money.

– InsideMedford.com