Wonderland Dreams was an immersive art exhibit by Alexa Meade. She took over a former Best Buy on Fifth Avenue, NYC and transformed the 26,000 sq ft space into a magical 2D/3D painted world, complete with over 30 art installations.
Over 100,000 guests came to see Wonderland Dreams during its year-long run.
A Secret Passageway - Photo by Mike Monaghan - Wonderland Dreams by Alexa Meade
Architect Bjarke Ingels Building a House of Cards - Photo by Mike Monaghan - Wonderland Dreams by Alexa Meade
Color Changing Here - Models Elijah Hollingsworth and Karyl McFarquhar - Photo by Mike Monaghan - Wonderland Dreams by Alexa Meade
Private Events Room - Photo by Mike Monaghan - Wonderland Dreams by Alexa Meade
People in @wonderlanddreamland by @alexameadeart - photo by @lorylyon
Stefan Thomas and Alexa Meade in Wonderland Dreams - Photo by Ruby June
“Alexa Meade encourages guests to wake up their inner children and treat this installation like an adult playhouse.”
The Exhibit Experience
With hundreds of hand-painted costumes and props, visitors to Wonderland Dreams could step into a painted world and become part of the art. The exhibit was designed with spaces for guests to express their creativity, like the painting garden, drawing studio, and graffiti alley.
Living Works of Art
Alexa Meade is famous for pioneering a technique of painting on the human body to make real people appear to be living works of art. During the year of her Wonderland Dreams solo show, she painted over 100 live models into the exhibit.
Behind the Scenes
“Meade and her team of some 20 painting assistants devoted about two months to transform a shuttered Best Buy on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan into a 26,000-square-foot truly immersive exhibit, using her trademark 3D painting style to create a 2D dreamscape.
‘We didn’t just paint the walls, we painted the floors and the ceilings. We painted all the furniture, the undersides of couches,’ said Meade. ‘We painted thousands of individual set pieces. We painted clothes and costumes for guests, we painted cupcakes, giant mushrooms, life-size flamingoes, and playing cards.’”
Collaborations
Wonderland Dreams had special collaborations with Broadway stars, world-renowned magician Zach King, and famed fashion photographer Ruby June.
Fifth Avenue, NYC
Wonderland Dreams was located at Fifth Avenue and 44th St, steps away from Bryant Park, Grand Central Station, The Museum of Modern Art, and Times Square. Alexa Meade brought her painted models out of the gallery and into the city as living street art.
About Wonderland Dreams Creator Alexa Meade
Alexa Meade is a world-renowned artist, famous for inventing a new type of optical illusion that makes 3D spaces appear to be a 2D painting. She first launched her Wonderland exhibit on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills before scaling it up for Fifth Avenue.
“Alexa Meade takes an innovative approach to art. Not for her a life of sketching and stretching canvases. Instead, she selects a topic and then paints it--literally.”
Elijah Central in Wonderland Dreams - Photo by Elizabeth Acevedo
Eat Me Mushrooms - Model Lisbel Marrero Malave - Photos by Mike Monaghan
Drawing on the Walls - Wonderland Dreams by Alexa Meade
Chessboard Madness - Photo by Mike Monaghan
In the Press
Wonderland Dreams was one of NYC’s highest rated art exhibits, with rave reviews in the New York Times and Forbes.
