September 7th, 2020
The Makeup Museum in New York City, the world’s first museum dedicated to makeup was due to open its doors on 1st May in Manhattan’s Meatpacking district. With content spanning 10,000 years of history across the globe – from the ancient Egyptian’s use of kohl eyeliner through Japanese kabuki and geisha makeup to modern drag performers who’ve perfected the art of contouring – it is the world’s leading institution exploring the history of beauty and its ongoing impact on society. The museum is dedicated to empowering all people to learn about and have fun with beauty.
The launch of the first planned exhibition Pink Jungle: 1950s Makeup In America – exploring the explosion of the modern beauty industry after WWII by looking at make-up trends made famous by the eras most prominent female stars including Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn – had to be delayed due to the global pandemic.
However, the museum were able to move their operations online during New York City’s closure of indoor museums—staying connected with the global beauty community and thousands of subscribers through digital programming such as Generations of Beauty, Pride 2020, the unveiling of legendary makeup artist Kevyn Aucoin’s personal journals, and original 1950s beauty artefact reveals from Marilyn and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
The Museum was able to physically open last week and finally launch the much-anticipated Pink Jungle exhibition, bringing together a diverse and talented team of passionate beauty experts. Artwork and graphics from local artists adorn the museum’s walls, creating a unique and dynamic space that celebrates beauty culture in a ground-breaking and inclusive way.
2020 has been a difficult year for so many, with the beauty industry and its artists being hit especially hard. Our dream for the Makeup Museum has always been to create a place of refuge for all beauty seekers, providing inspiration, escapism, reflection and education, said Rachel Goodwin, renowned professional MUA and Makeup Museum Co-Founder. Our vision for a space dedicated to connecting with beauty on a deeper, more meaningful level has become even more galvanized than before. We are thrilled to finally bring Pink Jungle to life in New York City. It will bring as much joy and fun to our visitors as it has to us. Beauty serves an even greater purpose during these difficult times, and we are proud to be able to offer a fleeting moment of it to everyone who walks through our doors.
Pink Jungle: 1950s Makeup in America is the first exhibition of its kind, focusing on beauty products, imagery and iconography through the lens of historical beauty artefacts from the Makeup Museum’s extensive collection. The exhibition begins with an exploration of beauty marketing in the 1950s, the formula and packaging innovations of the decade, key entrepreneurs and icons of the era, and more. Beautiful installations, such as the Makeup Museum’s tribute to Max Factor and his legendary studio rooms, can be enjoyed hands-free and never-before-seen skincare artefacts from Marilyn Monroe, Greta Garbo and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis can be seen in a touchless and pristine exhibition environment.
In the middle of the trifecta of crises—health, economic, and social—we have seen that beauty, arts and culture still matter immensely to people. We are so excited to officially open the world’s foremost cultural institution dedicated to beauty, said Doreen Bloch, Executive Director and Co-Founder of the Makeup Museum. The health and safety of Makeup Museum’s visitors and team members are most important to us, and we reimagined our exhibition experience and implemented comprehensive safety procedures to ensure the wellbeing of everyone on-site.
These include reduced visitor capacity, pre-purchased timed-ticket entry, temperature checks at the door, mandatory wearing of face coverings, physical distancing and additional cleansing and air filtration along with plenty of hand sanitiser stations.
Tickets for the museum and exhibit are $40 and, for those of us who are currently unable to travel, the museum has also launched mobile apps ($2.99) on iOS and Android. These include Augmented Reality features that bring key artefacts into your home virtually, such as the rare Salvador Dali “Bird-in-Hand” vintage compact currently on display at the Makeup Museum’s “Pink Jungle” exhibition.
We can’t wait to visit!
The Makeup Museum is located at 94 Gansevoort Street in New York City, and founding sponsors include Nordstrom, Givaudan, Erno Laszlo, Alcone Company, and CONAIR. For more information, visit makeupmuseum.com
Like this? Subscribe to Warpaint here.
Comments
Related Posts
