ARTS

'Star Wars' costume exhibit to come to DIA in 2018

Sarah Rahal
The Detroit News
BB-8 and R2-D2 in "The Force Awakens."

Detroit — Die-hard "Star Wars" fans can get up close and personal with original costumes from a galaxy far, far away at the Detroit Institute of Arts next year. 

BB-8, Yoda, an Ewok, and 66 other original costumes from the first seven movies in the "Star Wars" saga will be highlighted in the “Star Wars and the Power of Costume” opening May 20, 2018. 

The ticketed exhibition also features more than 150 pieces and sketches documenting the creative process of George Lucas’ vision, which will be open to the public until Sept. 30, 2018. 

“This exhibition allows visitors to explore the creative processes behind the art of costume design, while discovering the unexpected ways in which these works relate to art from the DIA’s collection,” DIA Director, Salvador-Salort-Pons said in a press release. “It also connects directly with our Detroit Film Theatre program, which has shared the art of film with hundreds of thousands of visitors over its 42-year history.”

Visitors can expect to see the gear of Queen Amidala, Darth Vader, Princess Leia, stormtroopers, Chewbacca, Han Solo, X-wing pilots and droids, including C-3PO, R2-D2 and the whole gang.

Videos also are expected to show designers and actors in the processes of creating scenes and include interactive projects. Interpretation of cultural and historic context by Smithsonian scholars is also part of the experience.

According to the press release, “Star Wars and the Power of Costume” was developed by the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service in partnership with the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and in consultation with Lucasfilm, Ltd.

The Denver Art Museum provided additional scholarship and modifications to the exhibition at the DIA, according to the press release. 

srahal@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @SarahRahal_