VIP Reception /// Barbie® A Cultural Icon + The Power of Pink
Tuesday, February 13, 2024 /// 6 – 8 pm
Phoenix Art Museum
1625 North Central Avenue
Jeremy Mikolajczak, the Sybil Harrington Director and CEO, and the Board of Trustees of Phoenix Art Museum cordially invite you to an exclusive reception celebrating Barbie®: A Cultural Icon and The Power of Pink. Along with special access to the exhibitions, enjoy light refreshments and curator remarks.
RSVP by February 6, 2024
THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT. THANK YOU!
About the Exhibitions
Barbie®: A Cultural Icon examines the evolution and impact of Barbie from child’s toy to global phenomenon. The major exhibition, created by Illusion Projects and curated by costume historian Karan Feder in collaboration with Mattel, Inc., showcases more than 250 vintage dolls—including the original Barbie released in 1959—from the collections of private collector David Porcello and Mattel. It also features more than 50 historical objects and life-sized fashion designs, video interviews with Barbie designers on custom-made Barbie Dreamhouse TVs, and unique photo opportunities, including a life-size Barbie Mirror-Pink Corvette.
Drawn entirely from the PhxArt Collection,The Power of Pink complements Barbie®: A Cultural Icon by celebrating and exploring the complex history of the color synonymous with the Barbie brand. The exhibition traces the evolution of the hue across fashion history, from its origins in 17th-century France, where it was worn by both men and women as a symbol of status, luxury, and power, to 1940s North America, where mass-marketing efforts began to gender the color, assigning pink to girls and blue to boys. Featuring more than 10 garments and ensembles, The Power of Pink highlights the work of major designers, including Gianfranco Ferré, Christian Dior, Valentino, Yves Saint Laurent, and more.
Exhibition Sponsors
BARBIE®: A CULTURAL ICON was created by Illusion Projects and curated by costume historian Karan Feder, in collaboration with Mattel. The exhibition’s presentation at Phoenix Art Museum is coordinated by Helen Jean, the Jacquie Dorrance Curator of Fashion Design.
The Phoenix premiere of Barbie®: A Cultural Icon is made possible through the generosity of:
The Opatrny Family Foundation, Arizona Costume Institute (ACI), Desert Financial Credit Union, Men’s Arts Council, My Sister’s Closet, Shamrock Farms, and Miriam and Yefim Sukhman.
All exhibitions at Phoenix Art Museum are underwritten by the Phoenix Art Museum Exhibition Excellence Fund, founded by The Opatrny Family Foundation with additional major support provided by Joan Cremin.
The Power of Pink is organized by Phoenix Art Museum and curated by Helen Jean, the Jacquie Dorrance Curator of Fashion Design at Phoenix Art Museum.
The Power of Pink is made possible through the generosity of Arizona Costume Institute (ACI), My Sister’s Closet and the Kelly Ellman Fashion Design Endowment Fund.
All exhibitions at Phoenix Art Museum are underwritten by the Phoenix Art Museum Exhibition Excellence Fund, founded by The Opatrny Family Foundation with additional major support provided by Joan Cremin.