It is curious how wonder works. We can see a dashing white rabbit in a vest, bow tie, umbrella and pocket watch but what strikes us powerfully is something else: “Since when is Alice a brunette?”. The answer is none other than since always, but the adaptation made by Disney in 1951 fixed in the collective imagination that her mane was blonde. This is just one example of all that can still be discovered about this Victorian phenomenon in the exhibition Alice’s Worlds. Dreaming Wonderland.
This is the first and largest immersive exhibition “on the phenomenon generated by this modern heroine”. It opens tomorrow at CaixaForum Madrid (Paseo del Prado, 36), which has had for the occasion with the collaboration of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
The exhibition has brought together 283 objects and works of art -some by figures such as Salvador Dalí, Max Ernst, Paula Rego, Aldous Huxley, Peter Blake or John Craxton- with which it is clear the great influence of books in disciplines such as film, photography, visual arts, design, fashion, literature, science and theater more than 150 years after Carroll created the character.
Recreations of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland scenes.
As we said before, the exhibition has a marked immersive character, and that means that, along the tour, the public will find recreations of some of the most emblematic scenes of the story. They have been designed by the set designer and playwright Ignasi Cristià.
Among them are, for example, the fall down the rabbit hole, the Mad Hatter’s tea party, the pond of tears and the Queen of Hearts’ playing cards. Through them they want to connect with visitors of all ages and transport them to that fantasy world through time, space, play and reflection.
Dates and tickets for Alice’s Worlds. Dreaming Wonderland
The exhibition will open this Friday, April 4 and will be open until August 3, 2025 from Monday to Sunday and public holidays from 10 am to 8 pm. The ticket costs 6 € and with it you can also access the rest of the exhibitions of the enclosure. You can purchase them through its website.
Activities parallel to the exhibition
Beyond the exhibition itself, a series of activities have been organized to complete the experience. Among them we find a rhinmersive workshop/participatory art installation, a reading and play area, a workshop visit, the cycle Tea Time with Alice or a concert by Alondra Bentley. All the proposals can be consulted at this link.
The validity of art: Barjola’s exhibition
Carroll’s work is not the only one that has maintained its current character despite the years: an exhibition dedicated to Juan Barjola, a reference of Spanish figuration and expressionism, whose creations will be in dialogue until the end of the year with those of 20 other international artists in the SOLO Collection, was recently inaugurated in Madrid.