Re-Brand Update: MTV Unleashes New Moon Person Statue To Celebrate Upcoming
40th Anniversary Featuring Artist Kehinde Wiley!
“As part of MTV’s ongoing celebration of their 40th anniversary, the network
has revealed its new-look Moon Person trophy.INYIM WeeklyGet the good stuff.Fresh music, bold entertainment, and men’s fashion—one tight email a week.
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.Artist Kehinde Wiley — whose presidential portrait of Barack Obama resides
in the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery — is the creator of this
iconic statuette that the winners will receive at this year’s MTV Video
Music Awards.Ahead of the September 12th award show, Rolling Stone has the exclusive
first look at the new Moon Person trophy:“Kehinde Wiley’s Moon Person sculpture represents inclusivity and diversity
marked by the historical, environmental and nature relevance of the
botanicals,” MTV said of the design.“The design features botanical vines seamlessly flowing up and around the
figure’s legs, body, and arms as a commentary on the ethnic histories that
surround America. Each intertwined vine or leaf has a different historical
relevance, such as the seeds from African slaves, that are woven into the
American tapestry. The sculpture complements Wiley’s forthcoming series of
portraits, in which he plans to create paintings featuring his subjects
lying on their sides as vines encircle their bodies.”<div><br />Wiley is the third artist to put a spin on the Moon Person — as its been
dubbed in recent years to remove “the implication of gender from its name,
and signaling a cultural shift in support of equality and representation,”
MTV said — following KAWS’ version in 2013 and fashion designer Jeremy
Scott’s take in 2015.MTV premiered on this date 40 years ago — at 12:01 a.m. on August 1st, 1981
— with footage of NASA’S Apollo 11 mission. As a nod to that historic first
broadcast, a full-sized version inspired by Wiley’s Moon Person sculpture
will display starting at noon E.S.T. Sunday at the Kennedy Space Center’s
Rocket Garden.“For the past 40 years, the pioneering spirit of space exploration has
inspired MTV to break boundaries in culture and, as such, has encouraged
generations to rethink what is possible,” MTV said. “Now, MTV is celebrating
its 40th anniversary with new beginnings at Kennedy Space Center Visitor
Complex. Following its debut, the large-scale MTV Moon Person will be on
display to guests at NASA Central at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.””
– Rollingstone.com
Throwback to MTV Video Music Awards circa, 2009!
