While mannequins are not “essential” product to have as we self-shelter, but it seems like every week there is something in the news about mannequins in connection with Covid19.
Whether it is mannequins being deployed as pseudo patrons in a restaurant or as faux fans in a baseball stadium. Or as quarantine companion for those feeling lonely and sexual adventurous.
Perhaps it is because we restricted from having contact with other humans that we seek a human like substitute to fulfill our needs.
Many of our customers are buying our used mannequins for artistic expression. Santa Cruz based artist Amy Steinberg initially bought six mannequins from us to display apparel she was selling. She is now using the mannequins as an environmental art project for her community.
Using her front yard as her gallery space, Amy creates mannequin vignettes that tell a story – sometimes in a humorous way, sometimes in a solemn way – with Corvid19 as the theme.
One vignette was a tribute to first responders.
Another was to bring attention to the plight of the Monterey Bay Aquarium which has suffered financially as a result of being closed to paid visitors.
Sometimes she includes her paintings among her mannequin vignette’s
Amy’s initial motivation for the art installation was solely as means of “self-care”. It gave her an outlet to express her creativity instead of going stir crazy being quarantined in the house with her husband and son.
It was her own personal passion project and she paid for all the costumes, paint and props herself. And she was creating a new vignette weekly. She became a popular tourist attraction for the local community of Aptos and Santa Cruz.
And people starting donating props, wigs, fishing line and other products she could use in her installations. People even starting sending money to her Paypal account – amysteinberg@me.com
Santa Cruz is a very artistically oriented community and with all the art galleries closed, Amy’s free art installation is creating a little bit of joy during these difficult times.
You can follow Amy in Instagram @Amyb777 and if you need a mannequin for an art project we have new and used ones for sale at Mannequin Madness.
