Inside of this ordinary looking building in San Francisco, Disney fans could glimpse a tiny peek at the wonders that await in the upcoming Mickey: The True Original Exhibition in New York City, a celebration of Mickey Mouse’s 90th Anniversary. Stepping inside the Minnesota Street Project, I almost thought I was in the wrong location until I noticed a few fliers indicating that the exhibit was here. Inside a small room off the main lobby was a small queue lined with images of Mickey and ads for the full exhibit in NYC.
As we waited our turn, we could hear techno music coming from inside Kenny Scharf’s mysterious Cosmic Cavern, which was obstructed by curtains and walls. This psychedelic immersive art installation has Mickey Mouse hidden throughout, but at the center art large watches. The concept was a throwback to the Ingersoll Mickey watch that was a top seller during the Great Depression, a license that saved the famous watch company. Almost everything inside was a commercially available product, including Mickey themed wall watches that were a big deal in the 80’s and 90’s.
To prevent overcrowding, the gallery restricted access to about five individuals at a time. The Cosmic Cavern wasn’t that big inside, which allowed you to quickly get disoriented by the blacklight colors and hidden Mickeys. Air fans were blowing as well, creating wind in most spaces. We took lots of pictures, which are all in the gallery below.
Kenny Scharf’s Cosmic Cavern will be transported to New York in November, although a rep from Disney let us know it won’t be part of the main Mickey: The True Original Exhibition. Instead, it will be in Times Square adjacent to The Disney Store as a free exhibit to help promote the full experience. Disney posted a 360 degree tour of the Cosmic Cavern on YouTube, which you can see below.
Kenny Scharf’s Cosmic Cavern was the first preview for Mickey: The True Original Exhibition. Two more are scheduled in Chicago this month and Los Angelas in October. For more information, click here.