South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Sunday)
‘Hello Gorgeous’ exhibit celebrates life of Barbra
The life of Barbara Streisand will be celebrated through an exhibit of costumes, photos, videos, record album covers and other objects at the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU.
“Hello Gorgeous” opens at the JMOF-FIU, 301 Washington Ave. in Miami Beach, on Oct. 14. The exhibit which pays tribute to the Jewish American actress, singer and filmmaker, premiered at the Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center in New York City.
Susan Gladstone Pasternack, the Jewish museum’s executive director, said, “We are so proud to be the only museum outside of New York City to host this colorful exhibition exploring the life of a living legend, accompanied by stellar educational and curatorial programming.”
“Over her long and illustrious career, Streisand worked on Broadway, starred in over two dozen major motion pictures, recorded 52 gold and 31 platinum albums, won countless awards and has mastered almost every entertainment medium in existence,” Gladstone Pasternack noted.
According to Gladstone Pasternack, the Jewish museum is the exclusive Southeast presenter of the exhibit, which she mentioned will be accompanied by an “eclectic” series of events.
“The arc of Streisand’s story unfolds on gallery walls — a glimpse into her life in Brooklyn, her first steps to stardom, her extraordinary career and her activism on behalf of social justice,” she said.
Jacqueline Goldstein, the museum’s curator, said , “While the Jewish community might be particularly interested in this exhibition, this show really appeals to everyone.”
“It explores the life of a female trailblazer who defied Hollywood’s expectations of traditional notions of beauty and talent,” Goldstein continued. “I think most people can relate to feeling different or even marginalized and can certainly relate to being told that they aren’t good enough. Here we get to tell the story of a woman who was told over and over again to give up on show business, overcoming that falsehood and experiencing great triumph. It’s truly inspiring to all.”
The exhibit includes Streisand’s 1959 Erasmus Hall High School yearbook, some of her first night club contracts, her original gown with the sailor top from her first television special, “My Name is Barbra,” the original robe she wore in the film “Yentl,” her portrait that was used for a 1964 Time magazine cover, on loan for the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, and more.
Richard Jay-Alexander, a producer and director who has worked with Streisand for 21 years on concert tours, television specials and the Netflix concert film “Barbra: The Music ... The Mem’ries
... The Magic!,” which captured a performance of hers filmed in Miami, said, “To work with someone you admire as much as I do her, is the gift of a lifetime. But the work is everything and there has been no shortage of laughter.”
“I saw the exhibit that is coming here to Miami Beach, while in New York, and visited it twice, before the pandemic,” Jay-Alexander continued. “It’s pretty damned fantastic. Whether you’re a fan or you’re one of those types who think they know everything about her career, there are some real surprises here.”
Jay-Alexander continued, “It was beautifully curated in New York at the Temple Emanu-El by Warren Klein and having worked with Jacqueline Goldstein at the Jewish Museum of Florida on the Charlie Cinnamon exhibit, I cannot wait to see what she does with all these extraordinary pieces.”
The exhibit will be on view at the museum through Feb. 20, 2022. The museum expresses its gratitude to Lou Papalas for his help in organizing this exhibition and for the loan of many items in his collection.
Visit jmof.fiu.edu or call 305-672-5044 for more information on the exhibit and museum, which is part of Florida International University through a partnership.