Coming to the McNay Art Museum: Coney Island: Visions of an American Dreamland, 1861-2008

Exhibition Highlighting America’s Most Iconic Amusement Park Opens May 11, 2016 Through September 11, 2016.

The spirit of Coney Island will come alive in South Texas when the McNay Art Museum presents Coney Island: Visions of an American Dreamland, 1861–2008, opening May 11, 2016 through September 11, 2016.

For more than half a century, the McNay has enchanted visitors with its art, architecture, and ambiance. Built by artist and educator Marion Koogler McNay in the 1920s, her Spanish Colonial Revival residence became the site of Texas’s first museum of modern art when the McNay opened in 1954. The museum offers rich and varied exhibitions as well as rotating displays in the Main Collection Galleries from the 20,000 works in the collection, while 45,000 adults, teachers, students, and families take advantage of a variety of education programs and innovative educational resources.

Steeplechase Funny Face, n.d., painted metal, Collection of Ken Harck

The exhibition explores and celebrates Coney Island, the most iconic, uniquely American Amusement Park in the United States, which has served as national cultural symbol inspiring artists, musicians, novelists, poets, and filmmakers. From Coney Island’s beginning as a watering hole for the wealthy, through its transformation into an entertainment mecca for the masses, to the closing of Astroland Amusement Park following decades of urban decline, this first-of-its-kind exhibition uses visual art as a lens to explore 150 years of Coney Island.

Coney Island was organized by the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, Connecticut. The McNay is the exhibition’s only Southwest venue. It will feature more than 140 objects, comprised of both celebrated icons of American art and rarely shown works from both public and private collections, including paintings, drawings, photographs, prints, circus posters, sideshow banners, architectural artifacts and carousel animals. Visitors to the exhibition will be immersed in the culture of Coney Island through memorabilia, sound recordings and film clips, including documentaries and popular films.

Frederick Brosen, “Fortune Teller, Jones Walk, Coney Island”, 2008. Watercolor over graphite paper. Courtesy of Hirschl & AdlerModern, New York. Photograph by Joshua Nefsky. Image courtesy of Hirschl & Adler, Modern.

The modern American mass-culture industry was born at Coney Island, and the constant novelty of the resort made it a seductively liberating subject for artists. From early depictions of “the people’s beach” by Impressionists William Merritt Chase and John Henry Twachtman to modern and contemporary images by photographers Diane Arbus and Walker Evans, Red Grooms, Yasuo Kuniyoshi, Reginald Marsh, Joseph Stella, Swoon and George Tooker, Coney Island investigates America’s playground as a place and an idea.

Over Half A Million Swarovski Crystals Hit The Runway During New York Fashion Week

Backstage images (Photo credit – Eli Schmidt)/Runway images (Photo credit – Dan Lecca)

Swarovski Collective designers Tim Coppens, Creatures of the Wind, Tanya Taylor, Dion Lee, Tome and Rosie Assoulin showcased their Autumn/Winter 2016 collections featuring over 556,000 Swarovski crystals this past New York Fashion Week. In the second season of collaboration for 2016 collections, the Swarovski Collective designers received financial support as well as the opportunity to experiment with Swarovski’s extraordinary crystal range.

Tim Coppens Fall/Winter 2016 Collection

TIM COPPENS FW16 New York, 02/03/16

Tim Coppens referenced Japanese street looks, western accents, and rock stars Axel Rose and Jimi Hendrix in his signature outerwear and military-inspired jackets, featuring custom Swarovski crystal patch designs and Swarovski crystal pearls in his womenswear looks shown at New York Fashion Week: Men’s.

Tim Coppens Fall/Winter 2016 Collection

Tim Coppens: Runway Show on Wednesday, February 3 at Skylight Clarkson North

“Adding Swarovski is great way to add dimension to my pieces. The beading creates a 3D effect and reflects light in new and interesting ways that you cannot achieve from traditional fabrics. The technique of metallic Hotfix transfers was the perfect blend of modern technique that captured the DIY spirit that runs throughout.” – Tim Coppens

Creatures of the Wind Fall/Winter 2016 Collection

Creatures of the Wind FW16 NEW YORK FASHION WEEK

Creatures of the Wind‘s Shane Gabier and Christopher Peters, inspired by soft modernism with specific references to mid-century architects, furniture designers and graphic designers, such as Charles & Ray Eames, Carl Aubock, and Ikko Tanaka, created graphic surfaces by sewing Swarovski beads and stones onto garments in various patterns.

Creatures of the Wind Fall/Winter 2016 Collection

Creatures of the Wind: Runway Show on Thursday, February 11 at 46 West 24th Street

“As we develop each collection, every component becomes another way for us to create the full picture. From the silhouette to the color to the fabric to the finishings, every detail is important. This also includes the venue, the lights, the music – it all comes together to tell the story. We think of Swarovski as an integral component of this story – an opportunity to create a bit of the narrative through a very special material. It’s always important to us to re-contextualize elements, to ask the viewer to reimagine something they may think they know; using Swarovski in our own way helps us do this.” – Shane Gabier and Christopher Peters of Creatures of the Wind

Tanya Taylor Fall/Winter 2016 Collection

Referencing a girl who wanted to look like the outdoors, and drawing from the interplay of lush botanicals and deconstructed geometric shapes, Tanya Taylor used layered Swarovski crystals to create intricate 3D-embroidered leaves and floral bouquets, adding dimension to crepe and velvet pieces.

Tanya Taylor Fall/Winter 2016 Collection

Tanya Taylor: Presentation on Friday, February 12 at the Swiss Institute

“Adding Swarovski definitely amplifies my designs because it adds a dimension of print and drama to the collection. It is an opportunity to explore the layering of textures, both soft and fluid or sharper, more sculptural adornments. I design to express optimism and make our woman feel emotional. Crystals can be thoughtful, bold, glamorous, tactile — they add a depth and mood to every design unlike any other material. Our woman likes an element of surprise and crystals help pique her curiosity.” – Tanya Taylor