Art in New York City

It is with great glee that I now reveal that the Directorship of the Hayfamzone comes with a peppy little expense account. I was recently sent to New York City so that I could visit the third and latest incarnation of the Masters of American Comics exhibit and report exclusively about my findings right here in the Hayfamzone Blog, for you.

This exhibit originated in 2005 in Los Angeles, which unfortunately I did not get to see.

It moved to Milwaukee for the summer of 2006, which I did get to see. If you haven't already read what I wrote about my Milwaukee experience, you have such a treat in store! Click on the August 2006 Archives off to the right of this screen and buckle your safety belt for FOUR great blog entries on the subject!

Now the exhibit has opened in New York City, where it continues through 27 January 2007. The comic book art portion of the show is being shown at the Jewish Museum, while the comic strip art portion is at the Newark Museum. My top priority was to see the Jack Kirby pages, so it was off to the Jewish Museum for me. Click here to read the Jewish Museum's write-up about the show. (And, so you know, the Jewish Museum is directly across the street from Central Park, and there seemed to be ample nearby street parking on the Saturday that I attended.)

Many comic art greats have joined the show since its Milwaukee days, like Joe Kubert and Lou Fine and Jerry Robinson. On one wall a Golden Age Kubert page is juxtaposed with a Silver Age Kubert page, which makes for fun study. There are many more Jack Kirby pages now than in Milwaukee, most of the additions being Fantastic Four works. Click here for an interview I found with Jerry Robinson in which he explains that he was tapped by the Jewish Museum to curate their portion of this show.

I must apologize for the brevity of my observations, but I needed to be in and out of the Jewish Museum in ten minutes! I do encourage everyone who is able to see the exhibit. This is the last stop announced for the Masters of Comic Book Art, so it may be now or never! If there's no way you're making it to the show in person, however, there's been an attempt to capture the milieu between two covers and if you click right here you'll see what I mean.

An expansive "review" of the museum exhibit appeared in the New York Times, and by clicking here you can see that article for yourself. I have QUITE a few bones to pick with this "art reviewer," but let's save that for another day.