Why Are Jewel and Kimbal Musk Working Together in Walmart’s Hometown?
WELL, WELL, WELL: In the ever expanding sphere of unlikely collaborators, the musician Jewel will soon descend on the Walton family’s Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art with help from Elon Musk’s brother Kimbal for the debut of what is being billed as a “career defining experience.”
On May 3, the world premiere for “The Portal” will feature Jewel’s music amid the Bentonville, Ark., locale. While culture vultures have been seeking out the arts center, millions of others know Bentonville for being Walmart’s hometown and the site of its corporate offices.
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Attendees for the opening extravaganza will be limited to friends and family of the museum. Those who spring for $500 VIP tickets or the $1,599 Premiere ones for the opening night gala will be able to partake of a private tour of the gallery led by Jewel. They will also catch a cocktail party that will be followed by a curated exploration of Crystal Bridges’ contemporary gallery and then an “elevated” chef-crafted dinner. (Green cuisine is another specialty of Elon Musk’s brother Kimbal, a chef and restaurateur, who owns The Kitchen Restaurant Group.) Once seated, guests will indulge in a performance by Jewel. Should anyone run short of small talk while seated at dinner, Jewel’s conversation cards will be within reach for introductions. Who needs spontaneity or manners?
The real attraction though is being cued as a finale of sorts — a meditative immersive arts experience that will feature 200 flying drones from Kimbal Musk’s Nova Sky Stories that will be airborne above the Crystal Bridges pond and choreographed to an original composition by Jewel. “The Portal” is designed to be a convergence of music, technology, wellness and art that has been created by the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and mental health pioneer. There will also be never-before-seen art and sculpture by the multifaceted creative.
The dress code for “The Portal’s” debut will be all white — or not. Although the occasion is being trumpeted as “a white party,” attendees are welcome to wear white dinner jackets or dresses. Guests also have the option to “keep things a bit more relaxed with a prosperous casual look,” according to an email seeking ticket buyers. Should Musk’s mother Maye choose to attend, she could wear the billowy rose-colored skirt she modeled for the Juzui runway show during New York Fashion Week in February.
Those who are game for an extended stay can attend that weekend’s Wellness Festival that is being led by Jewel, Crystal Bridges and its sister museum The Momentary. Running through May 5, the multiday experience will feature such speakers as Crystal Bridges’ chairperson Olivia Walton and its founder Alice Walton, Huffington Post founder and author Arianna Huffington and producer, filmmaker and activist Tonya Lee. Singer and sound healer Davin Youngs will also be making an appearance for “The Reset,” another immersive experience that is designed to soothe what ails you with sound.
Wellness is nothing new for Huffington, who championed the sector including the importance of getting sound sleep and how that can enhance creativity years ago. Her book “The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life One Night at a Time” was published in 2016. Huffington also created Thrive Global and remains its chief executive officer. She joins Alice Walton, whose portfolio includes the Alice L. Walton School of Medicine, in her beliefs about the power of art, medicine, health and well-being.
Corporate sponsors of the Wellness Weekend include Coca Cola, Mercy Hospital, the holographic communications platform Proto and Stout Executive Search. So polish up that resume and take a long deep breath.
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