Press Room

New York, NY (July 17, 2015)

In the next two upcoming live sculpting events at the Museum of Arts and Design, in conjunction with the exhibition Ralph Pucci: The Art of the Mannequin, Pucci's master sculptor and longtime collaborator Michael Evert will sculpt fashion designer Anna Sui and Architectural Digest's Editor-in-Chief Margaret Russell.

Anna Sui                                                                                                         
Thursday, July 23rd, 2015 – 6:00 pm
Free with Pay-What-You-Wish Admission
2nd floor galleries, MAD
Anna Sui is a fashion designer and perfumer who is known for her enduring designs and her skill for developing collections with cultural and historical references.

Margaret Russell
Thursday, August 27, 2015 – 6:00 pm
Free with Pay-What-You-Wish Admission
2nd floor galleries, MAD
Margaret Russell is the Editor-in-Chief of Architectural Digest, and previously held the position of Editor-in-Chief at Elle Décor. Russell is also the author of several books, including So Chic and Style and Substance.

ABOUT THE EXHIBITION
Ralph Pucci: The Art of the Mannequin is the first museum exhibition to explore the work of renowned New York-based designer Ralph Pucci, who is widely regarded for his innovative approach to the familiar form of the mannequin. Having collaborated with luminaries such as Diane von Furstenberg, Patrick Naggar, Andrée Putman, Kenny Scharf, Anna Sui, Isabel and Ruben Toledo and Christy Turlington, Pucci’s mannequins not only expand the parameters of this ubiquitous sculptural form, but reflect major cultural trends of the past three decades.

Organized by MAD’s Chief Curator Lowery Stokes Sims and Barbara Paris Gifford, Curatorial Assistant and project manager, the exhibition is accompanied by a publication that includes a foreword by Margaret Russell, editor in chief of Architectural Digest, an essay by art historian Emily M. Orr on the history of mannequins and an interview with Pucci by Jake Yuzna, Director of Public Programs at MAD.

Ralph Pucci: The Art of the Mannequin is made possible through the generous support of John F. and Mary R. Brock, Hans and Jayne Hufschmid, The Dinan Family Foundation, Pak-Rite Express, and Mega Vision Inc. Additional support is provided by the Collectors Circle, a leading Museum support group.

ABOUT THE MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN
The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) champions contemporary makers across creative fields, presenting artists, designers, and artisans who apply the highest level of ingenuity and skill to their work. Since the Museum’s founding in 1956 by philanthropist and visionary Aileen Osborn Webb, MAD has celebrated all facets of making and the creative processes by which materials are transformed, from traditional techniques to cutting-edge technologies. Today, the Museum’s curatorial program builds upon a rich history of exhibitions that emphasize a cross-disciplinary approach to art and design, and reveals the workmanship behind the objects and environments that shape our everyday lives. MAD provides an international platform for practitioners who are influencing the direction of cultural production and driving 21st-century innovation, fostering a participatory setting for visitors to have direct encounters with skilled making and compelling works of art and design.