The Contemporary Jewish Museum is Where the Wild Things Are ~ Sendak on Sendak

Written by Nina Sazevich Thursday, 27 August 2009 20:00

SAN FRANCISCO, CA.- This fall, things get wild at the Contemporary Jewish Museum as it presents There's a Mystery There: Sendak on Sendak, a major retrospective of over 100 works by Maurice Sendak, the famed author and illustrator of over 100 picture books who changed the course of children's literature forever with his 1963 classic Where the Wild Things Are. On view September 8, 2009 ­ January 19, 2010, this is the largest and most ambitious exhibition of original watercolors and drawings from more than 40 of Sendak's books, including his most beloved titles. It also features rare sketches, never-before-seen working materials, and exclusive interview footage.

Organized by the world's only repository of Sendak's work, The Rosenbach Museum & Library in Philadelphia, the exhibition is a fascinating and revealing journey into the artist's life and work for both children and adults. Families gain a deeper understanding of the characters and stories they love while adult audiences get an unprecedented opportunity to explore the more mature and sophisticated ideas behind many of Sendak's beloved tales, discovering how they were shaped by intensely personal stories and influences, especially the people, places, and events of Sendak's childhood.

Sendak, now 81 years old, was born in Brooklyn in 1928, the youngest of three children. His parents, poor Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe, suffered greatly from the loss of many family members in Poland during the Holocaust. The sadness and complexities of the Holocaust, the rich memories of his parent's lives in Europe, and his own childhood adventures and anxieties are currents that run through all of Sendak's work.

These hidden nuances and personal secrets, or "The Other Story" as Sendak calls it, inform much of the exhibition. "That's the best fun in all of this the layers of meaning, the layers of storytelling," Sendak said in a 2007 interview. "When you hide another story in a story, that's the story I am telling the children."

On View
Sendak himself serves as the visitor's guide through this landscape of hidden narratives. Interspersed throughout the artworks are touch screens where visitors can activate clips of interview footage in which Sendak elaborates on a range of topics from his creative process to his childhood use of storytelling to gain acceptance with neighborhood kids.

The exhibition showcases original watercolors, drawings, sketches, dummy books, ephemera, and more -- some of it in various states of completion including covers that changed, drawings with eraser marks and even manuscripts with the author's comments in the margins.
The pieces are arranged thematically in four interpretive areas: Sendak's child characters; his monsters and villains; his influences; and the settings of his stories. 

"This important exhibition opens a fascinating new window onto the work of now legendary author and illustrator Maurice Sendak," states Contemporary Jewish Museum director and CEO, Connie Wolf. "His stories have been read by children for over five decades and now many of these children are parents themselves. The exhibition illuminates for audiences ­ young and old ­ how his own childhood, his Jewish family, and Jewish traditions influenced his work. The Museum is thrilled to have this unique opportunity to engage audiences of all ages in a dialogue about Sendak, his beloved stories, and Jewish art, culture, history, and ideas."

Viewing the Exhibition with Children
There's a Mystery There: Sendak on Sendak, while full of complex themes that adult audiences will find compelling, is also carefully constructed to be enjoyed by families. Kid-friendly elements include activity cards that challenge young viewers to seek out objects on display and feature Sendak characters they can use to create their own stories. Family guides offer grown-ups tools for navigating some of the themes while at the same time encouraging children to ponder age appropriate questions such as "What's the strangest dream you can remember?" Touch screens featuring Sendak's engaging and revealing interviews offer interactivity for both children and adults to hear about the characters and monsters and hidden themes from Sendak himself. The works will also be brought to life outside the gallery in the entirety of the Museum.

Fraidy Abers, Director of Education at the Contemporary Jewish Museum comments, "The personal childhood themes built into Sendak's seemingly whimsical storytelling act as a perfect entry point for young audiences. Education is at the heart of the Museum's mission, and this exhibition provides an excellent platform for us to engage children, youth, and audiences of all ages through dynamic interactive programs, tours, and activities." Visit : http://www.thecjm.org/

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