Taylor Swift: Storyteller at the Museum of Arts and Design
From country musician to pop princess, Taylor Swift is a household name. The twelve-time Grammy award winning singer/songwriter is the first artist in history to claim the top ten spots on Billboard’s Hot 100 song list. She has been spotted in gorgeous and iconic outfits throughout her career, and these outfits are what the Taylor Swift: Storyteller exhibition at Manhattan’s Museum of Arts and Design is all about. The exhibit is dedicated to showing off the visually spectacular ensembles from her concerts and music videos, along with funky props, exquisite jewelry, wall-sized blow-ups of her handwritten lyrics, and projections of her best music videos.
The Museum of Art and Design is located at Columbus Circle, where horse-drawn carriages pass by for tourists and a Columbus statue stands tall to honor the 400th anniversary of Columbus' landing in the Americas. Taking a trip up to the “Taylor Swift: Storyteller” exhibition on the second floor, the extravagant red wedding dress and bellhop ensemble from “I Bet You Think About Me” can’t be missed. Neither can the custom ensemble by Michael Schmidt Studios from Taylor’s Bejeweled music video.
Interested in Taylor’s props? Check out the flamingo lawn ornaments from “You Need to Calm Down” or take a look at her GS6 acoustic guitar bejeweled with Swarovski crystals. Even if you aren’t a Taylor fan, this is the place to be for anyone who likes a bit of sparkle. Check out the golden beaded fringe dress by Roberto Cavalli from the “Sparks Fly, Mine” and “The Story of Us” performances during the Speak Now world tour.
Take a look at the cat-themed outfit from “Look What You Made Me Do,” complete with a Gucci sweatshirt and metallic pink boots by Christian Louboutin. Or if you’re really feeling the whole cat vibe, you can even take a look at a painting of Taylor’s cat Benjamin Button.
Along with her spectacular music and bold ensembles, Swift is also known for her commentary on the pressures female musicians are under to constantly alter their public image. Taylor comments on female archetypes and gender norms by embodying a broad array of characters in her music videos and concerts.
She dons outfits of various characters in her Shake it Off music video. Two of the most popular, the ballerina and cheerleader, appear together in this showcase. By embodying these archetypes, Swift challenges the “notions of what women are supposed to be, can be, or should be”, in the words of MAD Director Tim Rogers.
What stood out to me about The show was the atmosphere like no other. Compared to the solemn experience of visiting an art gallery, where you cringe if your own shoes squeak too loudly, the Taylor Swift exhibit was filled with Swifies humming the songs to themselves, smiling at other audience members and striking up conversation.
Article + Images by Richelle Hodson, Contributor, PhotoBook Magazine
Tearsheets by Alexa Dyer, Graphic Designer, PhotoBook Magazine
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