In The East Gallery
Heart and Humor: The Picture Book Art of William Steig
February 8 - April 25, 2004
In its continuing aim to showcase the masters of the picture book genre, The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is delighted to present the work of the renowned William Steig, whose long and distinguished career as an author and illustrator of children's books was all the more remarkable given that the artist was sixty-one when he created his first picture book, CDB! The exhibition, curated by independent scholar, Jane Bayard Curley, feautures work from Steig's key publications, including Dr. DeSoto, and offers several examples from each book to provide a deeper understanding of Steig's artistic approach. The Museum's goal is to provide a fitting tribute to a remarkable talent who has influenced countless readers, writers, and artists.
This exhibition has been made possible by a generous grant from Peter and Helen Bing.
In The East Gallery
The Many Paths of Dr. Seuss: Four Points of the Compass
May 7 - July 11, 2004
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art invites you to explore this exhibition of rarely seen original art from Dr. Seuss's first (And to Think that I Saw it on Mulberry Street), last (Oh, the Places You'll Go!), and two most politically charged books (The Lorax and The Butter Battle Book). The Mulberry Street drawings have never been exhibited before, having been in private hands until recently, and The Lorax drawings are i the LBJ Library in Austin, Texas-the gift of the artist in honor of Ladybird Johnson's commitment to environmental issues. The art for these two books is the only material not in the Seuss Archive at the University of California at San Diego where the balence of the exhibition originates. The Butter Battle Book addresses the issue of nuclear proliforation, while Oh, the Place You'll Go! has become a perennial favorite during graduation season.
This exhibition has been made possible in part by generous support from the Hsin Yi Foundation, Taiwan, Random House, Inc., and The Dr. Seuss Foundation and Audrey Geisel.
In The East Gallery
Dancing Line and Merry Color:
The Worlds of Margot and Kaethe Zemach
July 25 - November 7, 2004
Margot Zemach (1931-1989) illustrated nearly 50 books in her career. She was a superb illustrator, both in execution and in her incresingly encompassing vision of the world, and drew and painted with unbounded joy, concentration, and wit. Margot's was a comic genius that was was as deep as it was humanely funny. The humerous, rustic types from her earlier books were ideally suited for the sparkling tales of Isaac Bashevis Singer.
Like many before and after them, Margot and her husband Harve inspired one of their own children-Kaethe-to persue the profession. It is notoriously difficult for offspring to carry on in the footsteps of distinguished parents. Kaethe Zemach has done so in a manner that, in its respectful homage as well as in its total originality, is both moving and impressive. The Eric Carle Museum is pleased to present its first multi-genrational exhibition and hopes it will be the first of many.
In The East Gallery
The Mysteries of Chris Van Allsburg
November 20, 2004 - March 13, 2005
Throughout his career as both sculptor and picture book artist, Chris Van Allsburg has combined a keen appreciation for the mysteries of life with an arresting sense of its beauty. In Van Allsburg's universe, boats sail through clouds; a jungle stone transforms men into moneys; and entire dramas are captured in a single striking image. The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is delighted to present the work of this acknowledged master in a mid-career retrospective that includes his equally intriguing and exquistely refined sculpture.
This exhibition has been made possible in part by generous support from Houghton Mifflin.