Dallas Observer
Written by: Beth Rankin
If there’s anything we’ve learned from the Museum of Ice Cream or the wild success of Yayoi Kusama’s infinity room at the Dallas Museum of Art, it’s that Instagram is forever altering the landscape of installation art. The gift-shop-inclusive, severely curated “experience” has become a major draw for the 18-35 set (and their legions of followers), and now, one’s coming to Dallas.
From May 18 to June 30, the Sweet Tooth Hotel, a 1,200-square-foot “experiential art and retail pop-up” will nestle into Victory Park between a Yoga Pod and a tapas bar (which is undoubtedly the most 2018 sentence ever). The installation, “concepted by husband and wife Cole and Jencey Keeton,” will have five “sugar-themed interactive rooms based on popular treats,” according to the pop-up’s website. “Each room will be thoughtfully crafted by Built By Bender, a design and fabrication shop whose roster includes a variety of clients from Legacy Hall to the City of Plano, with lots of hidden surprises to uncover.”
What does one do in a candy-themed “experiential art and retail pop-up”? Look at colorful things, take a new Facebook profile photo and spend some cash, naturally. Admission to the museum for one hour costs $20, but for $40, you’ll also get a “limited-edition key chain and key which unlock(s) experiences throughout.” There’s also a gift shop, of course, with “a curated selection of goods from brands such as Leatherology, Hairstory, Read Between the Lines, Valfré and Joy Macarons.” On a sweeter note, the Sweet Tooth Hotel is working with local brands (like Joy Macarons) and artists such as Shamsy Roomiani and Jeremy Biggers. You don’t need a ticket to access the gift shop.
The Sweet Tooth Hotel opens May 18 with admittance every hour from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Buy tickets on the pop-up’s website.