Playboy Celebrates 50th Anniversary of Iconic Bunny with Exhibition

Written by Clifford Fernandes Wednesday, 02 May 2012 23:12

CHICAGO, IL.- Playboy Enterprises, Inc. and The Andy Warhol Museum invited more than 20 emerging and established artists to reinterpret the iconic Playboy Bunny in a variety of mediums for "Playboy Redux: Contemporary Artists Interpret the Iconic Playboy Bunny", a new exhibition that will open at the Pittsburgh museum on March 27, 2010. This new exhibition is part of Playboy’s global, year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Playboy Bunny and Playboy Clubs. Playboy will also commemorate the milestone with 50 Playboy Club parties in 50 cities, all held on one night, and newly-designed Playboy apparel.

Twenty-five artists, hailing from the fine art gallery world to the underground art scene, were invited to use the Playboy Bunny as their muse and have reinterpreted the Bunny’s image, ideals and cultural impact through their own artwork. The resultant exhibition, Playboy Redux, includes a broad variety of interpretations in mediums including painting, drawing, sculpture, video and photography.

Co-curated by Aaron Baker, Eric C. Shiner and Ned West, the exhibition features works from a diverse group of artists, including: Scott Anderson, Gary Baseman, Tim Biskup, Zoe Charlton, Ain Cocke, Brian Ewing, Brendan Fernandes, Jeremy Fish, Moyna Flannigan, Latoya Ruby Frazier, Chitra Ganesh, Ludovica Gioscia, Jeremy Kost, Frank Kozik, Simone Leigh, Kalup Linzy, Tara McPherson, Hiroki Otsuka, Shag (Josh Agle), SEEN, Seth Scriver, Andrew Schoultz, Vadis Turner, Saya Woolfalk and O Zhang.

“The Playboy Bunnies, with their recognizable costumes and sexy sophistication, help bring the Playboy brand to life,” said Aaron Baker, curator and business development director, Playboy Art. “We’re thrilled to partner with The Andy Warhol Museum and these 25 talented artists to celebrate and honor the beloved Playboy Bunnies in a fresh, unique way.”

This new exhibition represents an extension of Playboy’s longstanding relationship with Andy Warhol. The artist’s work was featured in Playboy magazine several times during his lifetime, including a January 1986 cover featuring the revered Rabbit Head Logo and a Polaroid pictorial in the August 1976 issue. Playboy Redux will include additional materials that give context to the connection between the Bunny and Andy Warhol, including one of Warhol’s four paintings of the Rabbit Head Logo; a video, which provides rare footage from Playboy Clubs in the 1960s; and archival objects and images from both Warhol’s personal collection and the Playboy Archives.

The Bunny-inspired exhibition will open on March 27, 2010 at 9:00 p.m. with a Playboy Pajama Party event at The Andy Warhol Museum. Bunny-clad Playmates Laurie Fetter and Lindsey Vuolo will be onsite to kickoff the party in true Playboy fashion, and guests will enjoy music from Pittsburgh’s own DJ Zombo, photos with the Playmates, appetizers and a full bar. Tickets will be available at the door for: $35 for opening party and 8:00 p.m. lecture (Warhol’s Fight with Brigid Berlin, Charles Rydell & Vincent Fremont); $20 for opening party; and $15 for opening party for Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh members and students. Tickets are also available in advance by calling or by visiting www.ticketweb.com.

Historical Background
Originally opening to the public on February 29, 1960 in Chicago, the Playboy Clubs quickly became the embodiment of sexy sophistication and one of the world’s most-successful night club chains. The famous venues, which were home to the iconic Playboy Bunnies, allowed key holders to enjoy performances by some of the era’s biggest names in entertainment, including Steve Allen, Ann Margaret, the Count Basie Orchestra, Milton Berle, Sid Caesar, George Carlin, Ray Charles, Bill Cosby, Bob Hope, Steve Martin, Bette Midler, Ginger Rogers, the Smothers Brothers, Mel Torme and Muddy Waters.

The original Bunny Costume, worn by more than 25,000 working Playboy Bunnies over the years, was created for female staff at the first Playboy Club and started as a modified one-piece swimsuit. The Bunny Costume, recognizable for its satin bodice, cotton tail and rabbit ears, went on to become the first uniform to be issued a trademark registration by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Before they launched their careers, actresses Lauren Hutton, Julie Cobb, Lynne Moody, Sherilyn Fenn, Susan Sullivan, Jackie Zeman, Maria Richwine and Barbara Bosson all worked as Bunnies, as did rock star Deborah Harry. As one of the world’s most-recognized uniforms, the Playboy Bunny Costume was redesigned in 2006 by Roberto Cavalli for the Playboy Club Las Vegas Bunnies and Playboy Club Celebrity Dealers, including Jenny McCarthy and Carmen Electra.

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