Maira Kalman: Various Illuminations

The Jewish Museum hosts the first survey of Maira Kalman's narrative art.

Working as an illustrator, author, and designer, Kalman illuminates contemporary life with a profound sense of joy and a unique sense of humor. This exhibition features a selection of original works on paper that span thirty years of illustration for publication. Also on view are less widely seen works in photography, embroidery, textiles, and performance. As a context for this survey, Kalman has created a special installation by furnishing the gallery with chairs, ladders, and "many tables of many things"—drawn from her collections.

Kalman speaks of her work as a form of journalism. She uses writing and drawing to render an ongoing account of the world as she sees it. Hers is a daily discipline of creativity based on photography, travel, research, walking, talking, and open observation. A serious love of distraction pervades. Abundant depictions of fashion, food, art, and architecture represent life's great pleasures. At the same time rubber bands, pieces of moss, bobby pins, and snacks stake a claim for smaller forms of satisfaction. All of this might seem pretty trivial were it not for the counterweight of history, memory, and loss that is also ever-present. Chaos is another constant, be it crazy and madcap or simply devastating. Indeed, it is her work's gift to illuminate those things that affirm our own capacity for joy, sadness, humor, charm. In short, Kalman's art inspires our humanity in light of life's overwhelming events and details.
Maira Kalman, <i>Man Dances on Salt</i>, 2007, gouache on paper. Collection of Tom and Claire O’Connor.
Maira Kalman, Man Dances on Salt, 2007, gouache on paper. Collection of Tom and Claire O’Connor.
Maira Kalman (b. 1949 Tel Aviv, lives New York) is the author of twelve children's books including Ooh-la-la (Max in Love). Among her adult classics are The Elements of Style, an illustrated edition of Strunk and White's timeless grammar, and The Principles of Uncertainty, a picture book of essays based on a yearlong online column for The New York Times. She has just completed a second online epic for The Times titled And the Pursuit of Happiness.
Maira Kalman, Annual Misery Day Parade, cover illustration for The New Yorker, 2001, gouache and pencil on paper.  Courtesy of the artist.
Maira Kalman, Annual Misery Day Parade, cover illustration for The New Yorker, 2001, gouache and pencil on paper. Courtesy of the artist.
March 11, 2011 – July 31, 2011
Maira Kalman: Various Illuminations (of a Crazy World)
The Jewish Museum
1109 5th Ave at 92nd St, New York
Maira Kalman, Woman with Face Net, 2000, gouache on paper.  Courtesy of the artist.
Maira Kalman, Woman with Face Net, 2000, gouache on paper. Courtesy of the artist.

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