This exhibition becomes more and more curious.
A new “art and bar experience” in New York promises to send guests down the rabbit hole in its 26,000 square foot display.
From Catching Flights, the production company behind the 2018 Rosé Mansion pop-up, and artist Alexa Meade come”dreams of wonderlanda photogenic “journey” through a sprawling Midtown space decorated floor-to-ceiling with loosely “Alice in Wonderland” themed landscapes. There are 30 rooms in all, many of which feature interactive props including a wreath of roses, a knight’s helmet, and a small cup of tea.
In a clip shared with the press from a VIP preview ahead of Friday’s opening, architect Bjarke Ingels is seen in one of the rooms trying to build a structure from oversized playing cards, reaching three stories high before collapsing. The public is now invited to build even higher than him.
As for how this exhibit stands out among all the other photogenic event spaces currently vying for New Yorkers’ time and attention, Meade told the Post that “Wonderland Dreams” is “a true art exhibit, hand-painted with over 1,365 gallons of paint,” and not – as many other similarly marketed exhibits are – primarily projected visuals.
“When you walk in, you literally walk into a painting and become part of the art itself. It was really important to me to create an experience that allowed guests to play, touch, climb and even wear parts of the exhibit,” she continued. “To be able to fill such a huge building on Fifth Avenue with my art has been a real dream, especially because it’s still rare for a female artist to occupy so much space.”
There’s also a gift shop offering “parts of the immersive experience you can take home,” as well as “one-of-a-kind works” by Meade.
Exhibition tickets are not required to visit the first-floor cafe and bar, which is open to the public and offers a menu of various wines, beers and mocktails with a focus on women-owned producers . There are also small themed plates and snacks.
Wonderland Dreams will be open at 529 5th Ave. through April 2023. Timed admission tickets to the show for all ages are available seven days a week and cost $36 Monday-Friday ($26 for children) and $46 Friday-Sunday ($36 for kids) . Children under 3 years old are free.
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