The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats Opens at The Jewish Museum September 9th

NEW YORK, Aug. 29, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Snowy Day and the Art of Ezra Jack Keats, the first major United States exhibition to pay tribute to award-winning author and illustrator Ezra Jack Keats (1916-1983), whose beloved children's books include Whistle for Willie (1964), Peter's Chair (1967), and The Snowy Day (1962), opens at The Jewish Museum on September 9, 2011 and runs through January 29, 2012. Published during the American civil-rights movement and winner of the prestigious Caldecott Medal, The Snowy Day became a milestone, featuring the first African-American protagonist in a full-color picture book.  The Snowy Day went on to inspire generations of readers, and paved the way for multiracial representation in American children's literature.  

Over 80 original works are featured, from preliminary sketches and dummy books, to final paintings and collages for the artist's most popular books.  Also on view are examples of Keats's most introspective output inspired by Asian art and haiku poetry, as well as documentary material and photographs.  This exhibition is part of a wide-scale celebration of the 50th anniversary of the publication of The Snowy Day.

Following its NYC showing, the exhibition travels to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, Amherst, MA (June 26-October 14, 2012); the Contemporary Jewish Museum, San Francisco, CA (November 15, 2012-February 24, 2013); and the Akron Art Museum (March-June 2013).

Visit http://www.thejewishmuseum.org/KeatsRelease for more information.

Sponsorship
Organized by The Jewish Museum from the collection of the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection, The University of Southern Mississippi. 

The exhibition is funded through a generous grant from the Ezra Jack Keats Foundation.  Additional support has been provided by the Joseph Alexander Foundation, the Alfred J. Grunebaum Memorial Fund, and the Winnick Family Foundation.

Related Programs
October 17 at 11:30 a.m.: Caldecott Award winning illustrator Jerry Pinkney lectures on In Focus: Ezra Jack Keats. Tickets: $15 general public/ $12 students & over 65/ $10 Museum members.  

November 13, noon to 4 p.m.: Ezra Jack Keats Family Day, with live music, story readings, art activities, and exhibition family gallery hunts. Ages 4 and up.  Free with Museum admission.

General Information:
Located at 1109 Fifth Avenue at 92nd Street, NYC. For Museum hours and admission fees visit http://www.thejewishmuseum.org.

Press contacts: 212.423.3271 or [email protected]

SOURCE The Jewish Museum