FANS FROM AROUND THE WORLD CELEBRATE THE OPENING OF
“MICKEY: THE TRUE ORIGINAL EXHIBITION” IN NEW YORK CITY
Keith Haring Drawing on Display Alongside Installations from More than 20 Contemporary Artists Created in Celebration of Mickey Mouse’s 90th Anniversary
Tickets on Sale Now through February 2019
BURBANK, Calif.—NOV. 8, 2018— Today, Disney officially opened “Mickey: The True Original Exhibition” in New York City’s Meatpacking District, welcoming guests from around the globe to the 16,000 square-foot immersive pop-up celebrating the 90th anniversary of Mickey Mouse.
Opening in the same city where he made his big screen debut in “Steamboat Willie” on November 18, 1928 at the Colony Theatre, “Mickey: The True Original Exhibition” invites guests to join in the anniversary celebration and experience Mickey Mouse like never before. Featuring thoughtfully-curated original art, larger-than-life photo opps, branded activations, and a new line of commemorative merchandise, the exhibition runs now through February 10, 2019.
Journey Through Contemporary and Historic Art
Honoring Mickey’s 90-year impact on popular culture, creativity and the arts in all its forms, the exhibition showcases installations from more than 20 contemporary artists worldwide, including Daniel Arsham and Katherine Bernhardt, alongside a historic Mickey-inspired work from legendary artist Keith Haring.
Haring’s drawing, Untitled (Mickey Mouse), 1981, is accompanied by a hand-selected assortment of original photos of the artist alongside some of his most famous Mickey Mouse pieces, captured by his close friend and photographer Tseng Kwong Chi, throughout his career in the 1980’s. The portraits of the two friends, who bonded over a shared love of pop culture and icons, are showcased together for the first time in this exhibition.
All of the original and historic pieces are featured throughout more than a dozen thematic rooms, each carefully curated and artfully designed to highlight a chapter of Mickey Mouse’s story. Along the way, guests will discover larger-than-life photo moments, including a replica of Steamboat Willie’s vessel, black-and-white immersive scenes from classic cartoon shorts, a transformative reinterpretation of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice from Walt Disney’s masterpiece film, Fantasia, and a recreation of the 1990’s All New Mickey Mouse Club set.
Fans will also get a glimpse into the Disney Archives collection featuring iconic Mickey Mouse inspired consumer products across the decades as well as the Academy Award® for the Creation of Mickey Mouse, on loan from The Walt Disney Family Museum in San Francisco.
Exhibition details include:
- Hello Mickey!- Introduces the many facets of Mickey including his playful personality. Featured artists: Katherine Bernhardt, Ariana Papademetropoulos, and Michael Bosanko.
- Iconic Design- Shows Mickey, an instantly recognizable character and form, in a whole new way. Featured artist: Daniel Arsham
- It’s Black & White- An entirely black-and-white world bringing Mickey’s comic strips and cartoon shorts to life. Featured artist: Brian Roettinger
- Ink & Paint- Pays homage to the team of artists and painters in Disney’s legendary Ink & Paint department including photos from the book “Ink & Paint: The Women of Walt Disney’s Animation”
- Burst into Color- A vivid, vibrant color room in honor of Mickey’s acclaimed technicolor debut, The Band Concert. Featured artists: London Kaye, Michael John Kelly, Amanda Ross-Ho and Disney artists Stacey Aoyama and John Quinn
- Sorcerer’s Way- Transports guests to the magical world of Walt Disney’s masterpiece and Mickey’s first feature film: Fantasia. Featured artist: Oliver Clegg
- Mickey Mouse Club- Celebrates the 60+ year legacy of the Mickey Mouse Club television series. Featured artist: Brian Bress
- Original Muse- Showcases how Mickey has inspired artists around the world to create, reinterpret, and reimagine. Featured artists: Keith Haring, Tseng Kwong Chi, James Jean, Keiichi Tanaami, Tanya Aguiniga, PEACEMINUSONE, Javier Sanchez Medina, Tetsuya Nomura, and Oliver Payne.
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The Collection- Illustrates how tactile, functional works of art brings Mickey into fans’ everyday lives. Featured artists: Darren Romanelli aka DRx and Shinique Smith.
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Kenny Scharf’s Mickey Mouse-inspired cosmic cavern will also be on display and open to the public in Mickey’s Maker Shop. Exhibition tickets are not required for entry.
For more on the exhibition and behind-the-scenes content, visit Disney.com/MickeyTrueOriginal and follow @MickeyTrueOriginal on Instagram with #MickeyTrueOriginal.
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 07: Sarah Jessica Parker attends Mickey: The True Original Exhibition reception to commemorate Mickey Mouse’s 90th anniversary. The 16,000 square-foot immersive exhibition, which includes interactive multi-sensory experiences, photo opportunities galore and Disney magic around every corner. The exhibition will be open through February 10th , 2019. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Disney)
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 06: Mickey: The True Original Exhibition celebrates 90 years of Mickey Mouse’s influence on art and pop culture. Opening November 8, 2018 through February 10, 2019, this immersive experience is inspired by Mickey’s status as a ‘true original’ and his consistent impact on the arts and creativity in all its forms. Guests will have the chance to explore the 16,000 square-foot exhibition featuring both historic and contemporary work from renowned artists. The exclusive pop-up retail shop carries special merchandise and offers customization. (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Disney)
