Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
Jacksonville, Florida
904-356-6857
http://www.cummer.org/
Pages & Stages: The Art of E. L. Konigsburg
From hand-written and illustrated
sheets of paper to complete manuscripts submitted digitally on computer
disks, the world of publishing has changed dramatically with the advent
of new technology. This exhibition explores the evolution of book production
from past to present with children's artist E. L. Konigsburg, author of
the Newbery medal-winning books From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil
E. Frankweiler and The View from Saturday. Pages & Stages:
The Art of E. L. Konigsburg demonstrates the changes that have occurred
over the years as a book emerges from "thought in head to book in hand."
Sponsored by the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund, this exhibition will
be on display at the Cummer through January 2, 2000.
"The Cummer is delighted to present an exhibition
that celebrates Elaine's literary and artistic achievements," said
museum director Kahren Arbitman. "At the same time, it displays the
path her illustrations take from first image to final printed form."
Pages & Stages includes
more than 40 two-and-three-dimensional works of art created by E. L. Konigsburg
for her books. Konigsburg, both author and artist, uses various experiences
from her own childhood as well as those from her children and grandchildren's
lives as sources of inspiration.
Illustrating
her global appeal, Konigsburg's books have been published in numerous languages
including, Spanish, French, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Russian. In addition,
her stories have been transformed into made-for-television movies and major
motion pictures. In 1968, Konigsburg won her first Newbery Medal, awarded
by the American Library Association for the most distinguished contribution
to children's literature. Her book, From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil
E. Frankweiler, a charming story about children who run away and spend
the night in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, had captivated
children and adults alike. Her first book Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth,
William McKinley, and me, Elizabeth, written that same year, had already
been named a Newbery Honor Book. This feat had not happened in the 77-year
history of the award - and hasn't since. In 1997, Konigsburg again won the
Newbery Medal for The View from Saturday, one of only five authors
to have accomplished this prestigious achievement.
"When I write a book, I more or less start making
a movie in my head," said Konigsburg. "Children all over the world
have let me know that they like books that take them to unusual places where
they meet unusual people. Readers let me know that they like books that
have more to them than meets the eye."
The exhibition has been organized by The Cummer Museum
of Art & Gardens with the assistance of guest curators, Rina Youngner
and Nadine Johnson; the staff of the Information Sciences Library, the Elizabeth
Nesbitt Room at the University of Pittsburgh, and author Elaine Konigsburg.
This is the first time that an exhibition has been organized
to show the role inspiration and technology play in the creation of a book.
Included in the exhibition are pieces from Konigsburg's beloved children's
books: Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth, William McKinley, and me, Elizabeth;
Samuel Todd's Book of Great Colors; Samuel Todd's Book of Great Inventions,
and others.
Text and image courtesy of The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens.
Read more about the Cummer
Museum of Art & Gardens in Resource
Library Magazine.
For further biographical information on selected artists
cited above please see America's Distinguished
Artists, a national registry of historic artists.
rev. 11/22/10
Search Resource
Library for thousands of articles and essays on American art.
Copyright 2010 Traditional Fine Arts Organization, Inc., an Arizona nonprofit corporation. All rights
reserved.
Illustrating
her global appeal, Konigsburg's books have been published in numerous languages
including, Spanish, French, Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Russian. In addition,
her stories have been transformed into made-for-television movies and major
motion pictures. In 1968, Konigsburg won her first Newbery Medal, awarded
by the American Library Association for the most distinguished contribution
to children's literature. Her book, From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil
E. Frankweiler, a charming story about children who run away and spend
the night in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, had captivated
children and adults alike. Her first book Jennifer, Hecate, Macbeth,
William McKinley, and me, Elizabeth, written that same year, had already
been named a Newbery Honor Book. This feat had not happened in the 77-year
history of the award - and hasn't since. In 1997, Konigsburg again won the
Newbery Medal for The View from Saturday, one of only five authors
to have accomplished this prestigious achievement.