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As part of Mickey Mouse’s 90th Anniversary celebration, Disney is planning to open an interactive art exhibit in New York. Mickey: The True Original Exhibition, will be an experience like no other featuring immersive, pop-up art exhibits inspired by Mickey’s status as a “true original” and his global impact on popular culture and art.
The event will take place from November 8, 2018 – February 10, 2019, Mickey: The True Original Exhibition will be open Tuesday-Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 60 10th Avenue, New York. Tickets are available for $38 per person at Disney.com/MickeyTrueOriginal.
New product collaborations in fashion, food, consumer electronics, toys, and accessories are coming so fans can celebrate Mickey. Here’s some of what’s in store directly from D23’s press release:
With 16,000 square-foot of interactive experiences, you can experience the magic of Mickey through original work from renowned and emerging contemporary artists. Curated by designer Darren Romanelli, the exhibit will feature exclusive original artwork from contemporary artists including Kenny Scharf, Amanda Ross-Ho and Shinique Smith, with more artists to be announced in the coming weeks. The experience will captivate the senses to surprise and delight guests, evoking the inspiration, creativity, and true original spirit of Mickey Mouse. The exhibit will span from Mickey’s beginning in black and white in Steamboat Willie to the technicolor world of more than 100 cartoon shorts. Get ready to step into an unforgettable journey unlike which you have ever experienced—all to celebrate Mickey!
Those fans looking to check out this stunning exhibit early should keep a close eye out for up-and-coming Mickey news. Before the exhibition opens in New York in November, “three artists will preview their installations in three pop-up locations across the country. The installations pay tribute to three iconic pieces of Mickey Mouse merchandise that have withstood the test of time—the Mickey Mouse watch, T-shirt, and plush.”
- Kenny Scharf – Scharf rose to prominence in the early 1980s as a New York street artist and muralist. His interdisciplinary practice consisted of design, sculpture, installations, performance and video as well as painting. From now until September 1, Kenny’s installation will be on display at the Minnesota Street Project, located at 1275 Minnesota St in San Francisco. Inspired by one of Disney’s first licensed products, the Mickey Mouse watch, this Cosmic Cavern is an immersive, day-glo, fluorescent black light world. Kenny Scharf’s work is a surreal journey into his personal connection with the character and the timelessness of both Scharf and Mickey’s contributions to visual culture. Fans at home can experience a 360° tour of the installation at Disney.com/MickeyTrueOriginal.
- Amanda Ross-Ho – Ross-Ho is a Los Angeles-based artist who has exhibited widely, both nationally and internationally including solo exhibitions at Cherry and Martin and The Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles. She has presented large-scale commissioned public work at The Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago, City Hall Park New York City and the Parcours Sector of Art Basel Switzerland. She will create a large-than-life classic Mickey tee to be on display during Art Expo in Chicago in September.
- Shinique Smith – Known for her monumental sculptural works of bundled fabric and clothing, and her exuberant calligraphic collaged paintings, Smith has been featured in exhibitions and collections of prestigious venues such as Brooklyn Museum, Denver Art Museum, LACMA, MFA Boston, The Frist Center, Kemper Museum and The Whitney Museum among others. Shinique’s installation will honor the impact of the Mickey Mouse plush through decades and will be on display in Los Angeles in October.
“We hope guests will enjoy the exhibition’s larger-than-life multimedia art installations, photo-worthy experiences, and even a few surprises,” says Ken Potrock, president, Consumer Products Commercialization, Disney Parks, Experiences and Consumer Products. “We’ve partnered with the best muralists, sculptors, artists, and designers to create original works that convey Mickey’s optimism and imagination.”
“As Walt said, ‘I only hope that we never lose sight of one thing—that it was all started by a mouse,’” said Bob Chapek, chairman of Disney Parks, Experiences and Consumer Products. “From The True Original Exhibition to a yearlong celebration in our parks around the world, we are honoring the deep connection that families and fans have made with Mickey and Minnie Mouse for nearly a century.”
If you want to keep up with this exhibit, you can find details and behind-the-scenes content at Disney.com/MickeyTrueOriginal and follow @MickeyTrueOriginal on Instagram with #MickeyTrueOriginal.
Source: D23
