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EXHIBITION CELEBRATES THE
ART OF MAURICE SENDAK
CHADDS FORD, PA ― For more than 40 years, Maurice Sendak's highly acclaimed publications have delighted millions of people around the world. Rich in fantasy and imagery, his books have proved entertaining as well as educational for readers of all ages. His imaginative stories, distinctive illustrations and unique ability to interpret the emotional issues of childhood have expanded both the boundaries and the potential of children’s literature.
Beginning March 15 and continuing through May 18, the Brandywine River Museum presents Monsters, Mickey and Mozart: The Art of Maurice Sendak. The exhibition honors Sendak's achievements by presenting approximately 60 original drawings created for the famous books In the Night Kitchen (1970) and Outside Over There (1981).
In the Night Kitchen is a comic book-inspired fantasy about young Mickey, whose ingenuity assists a team of bakers. Adopting a drawing style with thick outlines and flat areas of color, Sendak placed his hero―and alter-ego―in a unique dream-like cityscape consisting of food and kitchen product packaging from his own 1930s childhood. The story has a wealth of personal references and pays homage to the cartoons, comics and movies Sendak loved as a child. It celebrates a child who, through the power of imagination, saves the day for grown-ups by providing a key ingredient for morning cake.
Sendak's commonly used themes of childhood discovery, confidence and self-reliance are explored extensively in Outside Over There. The story's heroine, Ida, learns from her mistakes and uses determination and courage to save her sister from kidnappers. Conceived as a "visual opera" inspired by the music of Mozart, the complex compositions and enigmatic imagery in its illustrations marked a new direction in Sendak's style. The multiple thematic and symbolic references, pastel colors, strong shapes, and flowing visual rhythms form a sophisticated work that involves adults, urging them to become interpreters and guides for their children.
Together, In the Night Kitchen and Outside Over There form a trilogy with Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are, which won the artist the Caldecott Medal in 1964. Beginning April 6, 2003, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of Where the Wild Things Are, the Rosenbach Museum & Library presents Let the Wild Rumpus Start, an exhibition featuring all of the original illustrations for the book. Drawn from the Rosenbach's permanent collection, these works are prized for their joyful style, rich textures and colors, endearing monsters, and the sympathy they demonstrate for a child learning humility.
The collaborative exhibitions simultaneously presented by the Brandywine River Museum and the Rosenbach Museum & Library offer a unique opportunity to examine products of Sendak's artistic genius. The works demonstrate Sendak's synthesis of skill, personal imagery, and memories with compassionate insight into the emotions and creative potential of children. He has thereby created some of the most extraordinary illustrated children's literature of our time.
Exhibiting American art in a restored 19th-century grist mill, the Brandywine River Museum is internationally known for its unparalleled collection of works by three generations of Wyeths and its fine collection of American illustration, still life and landscape painting. Located on U.S. Route 1 in Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, the museum is open daily, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except Christmas Day. Admission is $6 for adults; $3 for seniors ages 65 and over, students with I.D., and children ages 6 to 12; and free for children under six and Brandywine Conservancy members. Individual audio tours can be rented for $3. Group rates are available with advance reservations. For more information, please call 610-388-2700 or visit the museum's web site at www.brandywinemuseum.org.
Photography available upon request
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Brandywine River Museum, U.S. Route 1 and PA Route 100
P.O. Box 141, Chadds Ford, PA 19317