Star Wars and the Power of Costume Exhibition in NYC 2016

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October 10, 2023

Finn, Rey, and Poe from The Force Awakens

In a stroke of luck in the lead-up to Sean Scanlan and I publishing our co-edited special issue of New American Notes Online (NANO) on Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, the Smithsonian and Lucas Museum of Narrative Art traveling exhibition collaboration called Star Wars and the Power of Costume came to New York City. I visited the exhibition with my Canon T3i one summer afternoon in 2016. It was exhilarating to me to be close to the costumes and props from my most loved movie franchise. Also, I imagined how the exhibit must be a goldmine for costuming details for Star Wars cosplay.

I’m afraid that my photography skills and control over my equipment is left wanting, but I tried my best to capture the costumes and equipment as best as I could for my own enjoyment when revisiting the exhibition via memory conjured by the photos. Now, I’m sharing my photos of the exhibition for your benefit here.

Also, I attended an earlier Star Wars exhibition in London nine years earlier, ~~which I will post next week as my Flickr album of those photos no longer exists~~ [link added to the London Star Wars Exhibition on 17 Oct. 2023]. It will feature costumes and some vehicles and models. In the meantime, I hope that you enjoy virtually visiting the Power of Costume below.