NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) – The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) will open Taylor Swift: Storyteller, a career-spanning look at the artistic reinventions of the 12-time Grammy Award-winning artist who is heralded as one of the most prolific songwriters in history. Set to open May 20 to coincide with Swift’s The Eras Tour tri-state area performances, the exhibition will be on view exclusively at MAD throughout September 4, 2023.
The exhibition highlights include the cheerleader and ballerina outfits from the “Shake It Off” (2014) video, the red wedding dress and bellhop uniform from “I Bet You Think About Me (Taylor’s Version – From the Vault),” which was directed by actress Blake Lively (2021); and the sparkling ensemble from “Bejeweled” (2022), directed by Swift herself. In addition, concert attire by couture fashion houses will be featured along with props, jewelry and projections of music videos rounding out the exhibition.
Swift’s emotional songwriting catalyzes the captivating worlds she brings to life on stage and screen through exquisitely crafted costumes and inventive scene design.
“At MAD, fashion and the decorative have long been valued as a critical visual language, and no one speaks that language quite like Taylor Swift,” said Alexandra Schwartz, the Museum’s Curator of Modern and Contemporary Art, Craft, and Design. “Whether dressed down in a flannel shirt and untamed hair or literally dazzling her audiences in head-to-toe Swarovski crystals, Taylor gives greater meaning to the palettes, textures, and depths of feeling expressed in her songwriting.”
Swift has discussed female musicians’ pressures to constantly alter their public images and regularly addresses gender norms in her videos, performances, and public appearances. She plays a wide range of characters in her videos, transforming herself through costume and subverting female archetypes through storytelling.
The exhibition will be accompanied by a series of public programs and fun events inspired by the creativity and passion of Swift’s fan base—from video and film screenings to karaoke sing-alongs. Additionally, The Store at MAD will stock a curated selection of Taylor Swift merchandise, from apparel to accessories.
