BARBIE: A CULTURAL ICON; 65 YEARS OF FASHION AND INSPIRATION @ MAD MUSEUM

Barbie in a ball gown in @MadMuseum's Barbie: A Cultural Icon exhibit

Growing up in the 80s, Barbie was more than a doll--she was beautiful, stylish and a symbol of endless possibilities. Ready for adventure with coiffed hair, convertible and handsome Ken in tow, Barbie could be anything--a doctor, an astronaut or the belle of the ball. Even for a tomboy like me, the idea of speeding off into the sunset in a shiny corvette seemed exciting. Now, six and a half decades after her debut, the Museum of Arts and Design celebrates the iconic doll's timeless appeal with a tribute exhibit, Barbie: A Cultural Icon. Keep reading for a look inside.

GENERATION PAPER: A FASHION PHENOM OF THE 1960s @MAD MUSEUM

Installation view of Generation Paper: A Fashion Phenom of the 1960s at Museum of Arts and Design (@MADMuseum)

With a stroke of luck (and a stock of Dura-Weave or Reemay), mass marketing created a fleeting fashion fad of the 1960s. Perhaps moderately eclipsed by the socio-political and cultural events of the time (Space Race, counter culture, civil rights, politics), disposable dresses-- in prints, plaids and plain--are the highlight of the MAD Museum's latest fashion exhibit, Generation Paper: A Fashion Phenom of the 1960s. Eighty rare garments and accessories are showcased alongside insightful commentary in a full-floor exhibit. Keep reading for a look inside...   

FLOWER CRAFT @MAD MUSEUM

rings ceramic vessel by Emily Mullin as part of Flower Craft @MADMuseum

Flowers are delicate, tangible and temporary. Beyond pure beauty, Flower Craft at the Museum of Arts and Design explores the creative visions of artists in the context of aesthetic traditions, stages of a plant's lifecycle and personalized interpretations of botany as contemporary art. Over a six-week period, Kristin Alpaugh (FLWR PSTL), Doan Ly (a.p. bio), Lutfi Janania (ROSALILA), Noritaka Noda, Emily Thompson and Manu Torres will each present a week-long installation in the main gallery of MAD's second floor. Keep reading for a look at the display of vessels and Kristin Alpaugh's The Good Trip and Totem. 

THE WORLD OF ANNA SUI @MAD MUSEUM

3 Retro looks--part of The World of Anna Sui @MAD Museum

Rock 'n Roll meets retro-romance in the sentiment and style of NYC design icon Anna Sui. In a new retrospective at the Museum of Arts and Design, The World of Anna Sui, categorizes Sui's career milestones into thirteen themes complemented by sketches, photographs and runway footage. On view are 75 pieces from Sui's first runway show in 1991 to her Spring 2019 collection. Keep reading to see photos from the press preview... 

LA FRONTERA: ENCOUNTERS ALONG THE BORDER @MAD MUSEUM

Son Necesarias las Fronteras (2013) by Iacov Azubel (Argentina)

Serving as a catalyst of socio-political conversation, the subject of the MAD's current jewelry exhibit fossilizes the hope and devastation that America's southern frontier represents. La Frontera: Encounters along the Border presents a view into the "complex physical, economic, cultural, social and emotional landscape of human interaction" [MAD Press Release] experienced at the most frequently crossed border in the world. Forty Eight artisans across the globe interpret the inspirations and aspirations of Mexicans, Central Americans and American citizens who interact with the Border between the U.S. and Mexico. Keep reading for a look inside...

LOOT 2018 @ MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN NYC

 Neckpiece by Gian Luca Bartellone

Spotless glass cases carry the "loot" of 35 of the world's most innovative jewelry designers. Unlike the strands of sparkles at Cartier or Tiffany's, the spread at the Museum of Arts and Design's LOOT: MAD About Jewelry takes the conceptual "statement piece" on an artistic adventure. Representing 15 countries, this year's curated selection of contemporary art jewelry brings together an assorted aesthetic with emphasis on non-traditional materials (e.g. 3D printed nylon, safety pins, crocheted textiles, bicycle tires and more). Offering celebrated artists a "public platform for their creative practice" this is MAD's 18th year of being true to its commitment of presenting jewelry as an art form. Keep reading for a peek inside...

LAUREN KALMAN: BUT IF THE CRIME IS BEAUTIFUL...

Front Installation view of Lauren Kalman: But If the Crime is Beautiful ( #LaurenKalmanPOV ) +MadMuseum OpenStudios 

Over 2,000 brass Kudzu leaves snake along stark showcases like an uncontrollable ivy at the Musem of Arts and Design (MAD) Tiffany & Co. Foundation Jewelry Gallery. In direct defiance of Adolf Loos' 1908 essay, Ornament and Crime, metalsmith and performance artist Lauren Kalman commits a noble "crime" by upending minimalism. The second in a series of 6 MAD Transformation Point of View ("POV") exhibits, Lauren Kalman: But If The Crime Is Beautiful focuses on 60 gold pieces from the Museum's permanent collection framed by metallic adornment. Keep reading for a closer look... 

COUNTER COUTURE: HANDMADE FASHION IN AN AMERICAN COUNTERCULTURE

Daily Outfit ('72) made of stitched doilies by Scrumbly Koldewyn / [R] Background panels by Marian Clayden / #Countercouture @MADMuseum

Channeling a counter-conformist sub-culture, 'style' converges on self-expressionist craft through creative conceptualizations of clothing and accessories.The first in a triumvirate of spring exhibits focused on fashion, Counter-Couture: Handmade Fashion in an America Counterculture at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD Museum) exposes the experimental pursuit of personal style in the 60s and 70s. Originating at the Bellevue Arts Museum in Seattle in 2015, the exhibit boasts a culmination of 15 years of research by guest curator Michael Cepress. Keep reading to see how the hippie movement presents a fundamental shift in fashion from consumerism into hand-crafted couture...

RALPH PUCCI: THE ART OF THE MANNEQUIN (PART 2)

Painted feather necklace on a mannequin form at the MAD's Tiffany Jewelry Gallery, part of the Ralph Pucci: The Art of the Mannequin exhibit

At the curatorial hand of Isabel and Ruben Toledo, a unique selection of accessories adorn busts,"Birdland" mannequin forms and assorted display pieces created in partnership with Ralph Pucci. An integral part of the Art of the Mannequin exhibit, the focus of the installation in the Tiffany Gallery turns to the jewelry, illustrating the utility of the showforms. A felt "moonscape" theme runs throughout the space, featuring abstract cut-outs. For a peek at the main mannequin exhibit, click here. Keep reading for more photos of the jewelry gallery... 

RALPH PUCCI: THE ART OF THE MANNEQUIN @ MAD (PART 1)

Ralph Pucci: The Art of the Mannequin at the Museum of Arts and Design

Conceptually creative or anatomically accurate? In fashion, made-to-order extends beyond garments to include the mannequins that showcase the designer looks. From shape to expression, mannequins adopt a sculptural quality that reflect trends the of the times. Monday afternoon's press preview of Ralph Pucci: The Art of the Mannequin at the Museum of Arts and Design, showcases the 30-year legacy of the Pucci Studio founded in 1950s New York City. Keep reading for details...

MARYLAND TO MURANO : NECKPIECES AND SCULPTURES BY JOYCE J. SCOTT

Neckpieces & Scupltures by Joyce T. Scott @ Museum of Arts and Design, Lazy Girl Neckpiece (2007) [photo courtesy MAD]

At the masterfully accomplished hands of Baltimore native Joyce Scott, glass beads become a soapbox for cultural commentary. Scott builds dynamic neckpieces visualizing socio-political narratives of poverty, love, sex, stereotypes and African/American history. This Fall, the Museum of Arts and Design presents Maryland to Murano: Neckpieces and Sculptures by Joyce J. Scott featuring 34 neckpieces, 3 beaded wall-hangings and 13 Murano glass sculptures with beaded elements by the celebrated artist. The exhibit runs from September 30, 2014 to March 15, 2015. Keep reading for more on the exhibit and my conversation with Joyce Scott...

LOOT 2014 @ MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN NYC

"Come in--the water is lovely" ring by Helen Noakes

Finding 'unique' in an endless selection of jewelry purveyors has become the proverbial diamond in the rough. This week, at the discriminant palette of curator Byrna Pomp, strands of brightly colored felt legoes meet wire-form flowers and laser-cut leather in a tightly curated showcase of unconventional ingenuity. Running from October 6-10, LOOT 2014 at the Museum of Arts & Design (MAD) features 50 jewelry designers representing 23 countries in a weeklong exhibition and sale. Keep reading to see some stand-outs... 

MULTIPLE EXPOSURES : JEWELRY & PHOTOGRAPHY @ MAD MUSEUM

Feeding Desire brooch by Mary Hallam Pearse, photo by Walker Montgomery (2008)

Photography is infinitely memorable, potentially wearable and discernibly variable over time. When contemporary artists begin relating jewelry and personal identity, a multifaceted approach to wearable photography emerges. Opening May 13th, the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD Museum) introduces a groundbreaking exhibit featuring innovative applications of photography in jewelry. According to MAD Museum's director Glenn Adamson, "Multiple Exposures: Jewelry and Photography offers the first rigorous survey and exploration of the deep and multifaceted relationship between these two mediums."  

STYLE SCHEDULE: 2014 NYC FASHION EXHIBITS

The Fitting No. 1 (2007) by James Gobel at the Leslie + Lohman Museum's Queer Threads: Crafting Identity & Community exhibition

Happy Martin Luther King Day! As we commemorate Dr. King's courage, legendary accomplishments and vision, note the importance of "having a dream" and its relevance in the contributions of dreamers who defy the limits of creativity. Take a minute to reflect on fashion's revolutionary focus on jewelry, punk/queer style and non-traditional media in 2013, and have a peek at the roster of NYC (and vicinity) exhibits upcoming in 2014... 

Looking Back at 2013

Excerpts from: Shoe Obsession at FIT, Gatsby at Prada, Punk: Chaos to Couture at the MET, Jean Paul Gaultier at the Brooklyn Museum

2013 was a memorable year for exhibiting fashion in NYC. A sizeable shoe exhibit at the Fashion Institute of Technology's Shoe Obsession in February was followed by a seemingly endless stream of publicity around The Great Gatsby in April/May and an unprecedented number of displays emphasizing queer fashion throughout the year. Punk had a banner year, with a hefty Chaos to Couture exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum and an impressive Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit at The Brooklyn Museum. Rounding out the category of "fashion," jewelry was the main feature at the MAD's Fashion Jewelry: The Collection of Barbara Berger exhibit and the MET's Jewels by JAR show. Keep reading to view my top picks for 2013...

FASHION JEWELRY : THE COLLECTION OF BARBARA BERGER at the MAD

The back room gallery space on the 2nd floor of the MAD

Set in a fantasy world of bountiful bijoux, visitors are struck with bejewled brilliance as they enter the second floor gallery space of the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD). With the opening of Fashion Jewelry: The Collection of Barbara Berger, the MAD has on display nearly 500 pieces from Berger's personal collection spanning from vintage 1920's to modern day and representing both contemporary and established designers. With over 4,000 pieces in her personal collection, Berger comments "It's a LOT of work to put together a show--each piece is hand-picked!"

FASHION JEWELRY @ THE MAD

A couple shots from this morning's preview at the Museum of Arts and Design

This morning, I was attended the press preview of the Fashion Jewelry: The Collection of Barbara Berger at the Museum of Arts and Design. Here's a teaser and promise of more to come. Be sure to follow along on my newly created Instagram (stylecurated)!