Q&A: “Hello Gorgeous” Exhibition Celebrates The Life of Barbra Streisand at The Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU

Miami Beach, FL – October 14, 2021 – One of pop culture’s most celebrated and recognized icons, Barbra Streisand, has made her way to South Beach in the form of a compelling, new art exhibit titled “Hello Gorgeous,” at the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU.

The new project, curated by Jacqueline Goldstein, is dedicated to the mega-star and living legend that has captured the hearts of many throughout her long and illustrious career. Following its premiere in New York City at the Temple Emanu-El Streicker, the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU is the exclusive Southeast presenter of this exhibition, which 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.

World Red Eye caught up with exhibition curator, Jacqueline Goldstein, at the opening celebration of “Hello Gorgeous” and discussed the process behind bringing to life an artistic retrospective on the one and only, Barbra Streisand. Read the full Q&A below.

By Gaby Cuevas

WRE: How did the idea for this exhibition first come about?

Jacqueline Goldstein: One of Barbra’s biggest fans, collector Lou Papalas, lent many of his Streisand artifacts to the Bernard Museum at Temple Emanu-El in New York. They created an exhibition around his pieces and upon seeing their fantastic exhibition, we contacted the collector to see if we could borrow the artifacts to make a show here in South Beach. Fortunately for us, and for Barbra fans down here, we were able to secure the loans and create our version of “Hello Gorgeous.”

WRE: What inspired you to create an entire exhibit specifically surrounding Barbra Streisand?

JG: Truthfully, most of the younger generation today have never heard of Barbra Streisand. It was very important to me to curate this show to share the story of such an accomplished and strong woman to a whole new audience.

WRE: What are some of the most unique and special items that are on display in the exhibit?

JG: Among the many pieces on display are costumes from her movies, including Yentl and On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, a dress from her first television special, My Name is Barbra, portraits of her by the famed photographer Bill Eppridge, and movie posters from around the world.

WRE: What inspired the name “Hello Gorgeous” for the exhibit?

JG: We used the same name that Temple Emanu-El in New York used for their Barbra Streisand exhibition. It references a line from the movie “Funny Girl” which Barbra Streisand starred in, in 1968.

WRE: How long will the exhibit run at the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU? How much are tickets and what are the exhibition hours?

JG: The exhibition will run through Feb 20, 2022. Tickets are $12 per adult and $10 for students and seniors. The Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU is open Wed-Sunday from 10 – 4:00.

WRE: What sort of impact has Barbra Streisand had on the Jewish community, specifically?

JG: Barbra Streisand is a cultural icon not only the Jewish community, but also across the world. Her strength, courage, drive and tenacity are beacons of light to everybody and serve as an inspiration to others who have faced similar forms of hardship and discrimination such as she did in her early career due to her Jewish background.

WRE: What do you hope guests will take away from viewing the exhibit?

JG: This exhibit celebrates the life of a living legend. Many young people are unfamiliar with her work and this is a really an opportunity for fans to celebrate her and for people who are unfamiliar with her, to learn about her incredible life, her work, and her incredible perseverance! She was told she would never “make it” and persevered through all the doubt. There’s such a powerful lesson in that.