Lisa Brown, "The Latke was Suffering so much that It Leapt out of the Hot Pan
and Out the Window of the Cottage, and Began to Run Screaming Down the Boulevard," illustration from Lemony Snicket, "The Latke Whom Couldn't Stop Screaming," 2007 , at Skirball Cultural Center.
Continuing through August 1, 2010
You need not be Jewish or juvenile to fall under the spell of the work showcased in "Monsters and Miracles: A Journey through Jewish Picture Books" by artists and storytellers skilled at informing and entertaining their audiences. Journey down the path that leads past alphabet primers used in medieval Cairo and lavishly illustrated historical liturgical histories recounting the Exodus. Examine early illustrations and graphic designs by Marc Chagall and El Lissitzky. View romantic interpretations of Jewish life in the villages of Eastern Europe and later migrations to Spain and the New World.
Pause to add your own collage to a mural featuring Jonah's whale or revamp a monster with feather boas before meeting the beloved Curious George and Shrek. View familiar favorite picture books including "Where the Wild Things Are" (with characters based on relatives who first captured Maurice Sendak's imagination when he was a boy). Grab a pair of headphones and listen to authors and artists, including Tony Kushner, Ed Asner and Leonard Nimoy, narrate their favorite stories. By the time you reach the most recent collection of children's books, those offering alternative narratives and changing trends such as Lemony Snicket's "The Latke Who Couldn't Stop Screaming: A Christmas Story," you may decide to start all over and take a second look.
Published courtesy of ArtSceneCal ©2010
