Current Exhibitions
IN THE West Gallery
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Turns 50
This exhibition celebrates The Very Hungry Caterpillar, from its humble origins to one of the most iconic children’s books of all time. Published in 1969, the first edition was produced in Japan since printers in the U.S. could not affordably carry out the complex project of die-cut holes and irregularly-sized pages. With it, Carle transformed the traditional picture book into an interactive object, “a book you can play with, a toy you can read.”
A copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar is sold somewhere in the world every thirty seconds! It has been translated into 62 languages, most recently Mongolian. Over the years, Carle has come to realize that his story is one of hope. “Like the caterpillar,” says Carle, “children will grow up and spread their wings.”
This exhibition is made possible through the generous support of the Hsin-Yi Foundation, with additional support from Penguin Young Readers.
Exhibition design by Katie Craig.
IN THE Central Gallery
A Marriage of Artistry: Leo and Diane Dillon
Born 11 days apart on opposite sides of the country, Leo Dillon and Diane Sorber met as students at the Parsons School of Design, where they became instant rivals and steadfast partners in life and art. They worked in concert over 50 years, demonstrating remarkable versatility and a mastery of media, adopting different modes of expression to best illustrate each narrative. They dedicated themselves to portraying children of color so young readers could see themselves reflected in stories. This survey presentation includes art from the Dillons' two Caldecott Medal books, Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears (1976) and Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions (1977), as well as numerous other picture-book titles. Diane’s recent solo venture, I Can be Anything (2018), is also featured.
Exhibition design by Katie Craig.
IN THE Reading Library
All: A Look into LGBTQ Representation in Picture Books
An exhibition of digital reproductions
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) representations in picture books work to build empathy while reinforcing the validity of different identities. All: A Look into LGBTQ Representation in Picture Books explores illustrations of love, identity, discrimination, validation, and families.
Curated by Chandra Boudreau, 2018 Trinkett Clark Intern
