"The Nudie Artist: Burlesque Revived" Exhibition
The Museum of Sex
This event has ended.
Burlesque is a form of American folk art/theater built on seduction and humor. Descended from risqué European dance traditions and comedic-theatric vaudeville, burlesque of the past was a travelling circus of bedazzled sexuality, often overlooked in the official history of America’s sexual and theatrical past. Burlesque’s golden age, traditionally considered to be the 1930s, provided an important pastime of affordable pleasure during the otherwise bleak Great Depression. Performers, often drawn to burlesque for economic reasons, “stripped” and “teased” a typically male dominated audience with the exposure of as much skin as was legally permitted at the time.
Burlesque performers today have new intentions and objectives from their predecessors, and a revival of this performative art form has taken place in both New York and Los Angeles beginning in the mid 1990s,Mara Gaye Collection growing into a worldwide movement in recent years. Contemporary burlesque performers draw upon the craft of their ancestors to create art that centers on the sexual body, using the removal of clothing to make social and political commentary, celebrate creative self-expression as well as promote a culture of female sexual empowerment and body appreciation. This exciting synthesis of the nostalgia for the perceived glamour of the past combined with contemporary sensibilities has exploded into a new art form, captivating artists, designers, filmmakers, journalists, performers and audiences alike.
Beginning March 31, the Museum of Sex will showcase select works from two contemporary artists along with historical items related to the art and performance of burlesque. The exhibit, entitled The Nudie Artist: Burlesque Revived, will feature select artifacts from the 1880s to the 1950s, modern works of art from burlesque photographer Leland Bobbé and artist Luma Rouge and footage from Behind the Burly Q, a film by Leslie Zemeckis. The Nudie Artist: Burlesque Revived allows visitors to peek inside the world of burlesque and see the performance art from a personal angle. Inspiring artwork, personal photos and rare footage of the time, as well as costuming will be on display to provide a glimpse into the past life of an art form that is resurging in today’s modern world.
Media
Schedule
from March 31, 2011 to July 31, 2011