RUTH E. CARTER: AFROFUTURISM IN COSTUME DESIGN Exhibition to Open at Seattle's Museum of Pop Culture

The Museum of Pop Culture today announced details for its upcoming exhibition Ruth E. Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design which will open on June 18. Through more than 60 costumes by the Academy Award-winning designer (Marvel Studios' Black Panther), the exhibition illustrates Carter's vision and the in-depth process she uses for each project. On display will be costumes from Black Panther, Roots, Do the Right Thing, Selma, Malcolm X, and more.

Tickets and information at MoPOP.org/RuthCarter.

"Ruth Carter has had tremendous influence on landmark films of our time and our perceptions of their iconic characters," said Amalia Kozloff, the museum's curator for the exhibition. "We are honored to showcase the immersive process, research, and attention to detail that imbues every project she brings to life."

EXHIBITION OPENING PROGRAMMING

Public Opening Party | Friday, June 17 | 7:00pm-11:00pm

$30 for non-members / $24 for members | Youth 12 and under: $23 for non-members / $18 for members

Join Ruth Carter to celebrate her stunning work at an evening to remember. Take part in learning exercises that walk you through the genius behind Carter's creative process, hear from the legend herself with a Q+A discussion, get down on the dance floor with DJ Lady Love, and more.

Member Preview Day | Friday, June 17 | 10:00am-4:00pm

Members always get first dibs on our newest exhibitions - free as part of their membership. They can stop by any time during regular hours on Friday to be the first to feast their eyes on this stunning exhibition, pick up a free poster, and enjoy a double discount on merchandise.

Membership sign-up: MoPOP.org/Membership

Opening Weekend Family Activities | Saturday + Sunday, June 18-19 | 11:00am and 1:00pm

Keep the party going through the weekend! As part of their general admission tickets, guests on Saturday and Sunday will have an opportunity to join in fun, family-friendly activities in a creative maker space. Get inspired by Ruth's creative process and try your hand at using costuming as a storytelling device. Workshop sign-ups on site on a first-come-first-served basis.

The opening weekend coincides with Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the end of slavery in the United States.

"What a fantastic way to celebrate Juneteenth in Seattle by having the opening of Afrofuturism in Costume Design here at MoPOP," said Ruth E. Carter. "I'm honored to share with you costume design and these visual stories that remind us of our shared history and all those who paved the way for a more just, inclusive, and diverse future."

MORE ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

Ruth Carter: Afrofuturism in Costume Design features unforgettable designs from nearly four decades of Carter's career within an Afrofuturistic installation incorporating original artwork by artist Brandon Sadler whose murals were prominently featured in Black Panther. Carter's designs enable actors to fully immerse themselves in the roles of their lifetimes, transforming Oprah Winfrey into voting rights activist Annie Lee Cooper, Denzel Washington into Malcolm X, and Chadwick Boseman into T'Challa, the King of Wakanda.

Exhibition Highlights:

• More than 60 costumes designed by Ruth E. Carter from films including Black Panther, Do the Right Thing, Selma, Malcolm X, Roots, Coming 2 America, and more
• Immersive, interactive experiences including a Black Panther  "Warrior Falls" photo opportunity
• Afrofuturistic installation incorporating original artwork by Brandon Sadler
• Original drawings, paintings, photographs, sketches, and mood boards
• Descriptive text panels with supplemental digital materials

ABOUT MUSEUM OF POP CULTURE (MoPOP)

MoPOP is a leading-edge nonprofit museum in Seattle, dedicated to the ideas and risk-taking that fuel contemporary pop culture. With a mission to make creative expression a life-changing force by offering experiences that inspire and connect our communities, MoPOP reaches multigenerational audiences through our collections, exhibitions, educational programs and community partnerships. At MoPOP, artists, audiences, and ideas converge, bringing understanding, interpretation, and scholarship to the pop culture of our time.

ABOUT RUTH E. CARTER

Ruth E. Carter is the 2019 Academy Award winner in Costume Design for Marvel Studios' Black Panther, making history as the first African American to win in the category.

Carter wows audiences and dazzles critics alike with Afrofuturistic looks that empower the female form and turn a superhero into an African King. Inspired by African tribal wear, Carter fuses traditional and contemporary while incorporating technology to deliver fashion and function, cementing her as one of the preeminent voices and experts on Afro aesthetics.

In a career spanning more than three decades in theater, cinema, and television, Carter has collaborated with some of the most prolific directors including Spike Lee, Steven Spielberg, the late John Singleton, Ava DuVernay, and Ryan Coogler.

Carter's depth of artistry, flowing together with her creative instincts, passion for culture and history, empathy for people, capacity for research, eye for detail, and ability to deliver the director's vision, while infusing her own signature, makes her one of the most sought after and renowned costume designers in the world.

As a collection, Carter's costumes, based on real and imaginative characters, provide an arc to the stories of African Americans so intriguing and unforgettable they influence music, fashion, culture, art, and filmmaking.

Carter has more than forty film credits and has earned two Academy Award nominations for Malcolm X (1993) and Amistad (1998) and an Emmy nomination for the reboot of the television mini-series Roots (2016). Carter received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2021, becoming only the second costume designer to receive this honor.

About the Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP)

Now in its 20th year, MoPOP is a leading-edge nonprofit museum in Seattle, dedicated to the ideas and risk-taking that fuel contemporary pop culture. With a mission to make creative expression a life-changing force by offering experiences that inspire and connect our communities, MoPOP reaches multigenerational audiences through our collections, exhibitions, educational programs and community partnerships. At MoPOP, artists, audiences, and ideas converge, bringing understanding, interpretation, and scholarship to the pop culture of our time. For more information, visit MoPOP.org.

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