There’s a lovely exhibit currently on show at the Morgan Library. It’s the work of artist-illustrator Ashley Bryan (see below for the Morgan’s description.)
Many of the pieces are collages in the vibrant colors of the kind of elementary school construction paper. I could imagine school group trips and the response to the words and the pictures as inspiring “I could do that” responses”. For these are deceptively simple illustrations and collages often with poems cut from the books taped on the paper.
Upsilimana Tumpalerado and the Turtle
Turtle Knows Your Name 1988 with words and illustrations by Bryan is based on a Caribbean folk-tale. A wise old turtle helps the boy with the very long name discover the name of his grandmother.
Seascape
The Trip to San Francisco
F for Freedom
“There are words like Freedom
Sweet and wonderful to say
On my heart-strings freedom sings
All day everyday.”
- Langston Hughes, Refugee in America 1943
Paula The Cat
Paula the cat is as happy as house cats can be. But she finds a boat locked up in a moat and has the urge to go off to sea.
And so she does – but without an owl and a pot of honey wrapped up in a five-pound not.
The poem is by Nikki Giovanni from her collection I am loved.
The exhibit is a spirit-lifting delight. Catch it if you can.
Ashley Bryan & Langston Hughes: Sail Away at the Morgan Library
Throughout his long life and career, the artist Ashley Bryan created and illustrated children’s books that celebrated Black life and Black creativity. This exhibition focuses on his 2015 book Sail Away, in which Bryan paired poems by Langston Hughes on the subject of water—oceans, seas, rivers, and rainstorms—with his own vibrant cut-paper collages. The original collages, now in the Morgan’s permanent collection, will be joined by paintings, prints, photographs, recordings, and some work in unusual formats, such as Bryan’s puppets made from sea glass, shells, and other found materials, to explore the conversation between these two great Black artists and the role of seas and rivers in their work.
The system doesn’t want me to leave a comment, but these are: Beautiful, heartwarming and inspiring.
Beautiful, heartwarming and inspiring.
Looks like fun!
A wonderful post. The colours in the pictures are so vital!
Lovely in every way.
I don’t know if I have ever been in the Morgan Library. Is it one of the surviving Gilded Era mansions in NYC (maybe on 5th avenue?) This exhibit is lovely and lively! Thank you for brightening my day with this blog post..
Yes, Gilded Era. Morgan was one of the so-called robber barons of the time. Born into wealth, he made a whole lot more. He spent a lot of his money amassing a huge collection of books, manuscripts and valuable artifacts. He had to extend his house to accommodate them. The library and museum are in what was his private residence on Madison Avenue and 36th Street.
They’re fabulous paintings. I’m utterly non-artistic in a visual sense, but these paintings are very appealing.
They are just so vibrant and full of life! And so deceptively simple.
Absolutely beautiful And so good to see Langston Hughes work illustrated. I am going to seek out these books.
I clicked “Like,’ but it wouldn’t ‘take.’ Apparently it sailed away when it saw me coming! :’c
Dear mistermuse – you are always so reliably punny! Thank you.
joyful and uplifting, both pics and words; I especially loved Paula the Cat; thanks for bringing it to our attention —
Paula the cat – not thin nor fat – is irresistible!
So many of Ashley Bryan’s collages would make stunning stained glass windows. This is an exhibit I wish I was back in NY to visit in person, especially to see which poems by Langston Hughes and Nikki Giovanni (and others?) are paired with Bryan’s artwork.
And then the amazing thing – you go downstairs from the exhibit and there you are in the grand room -Morgan’s library – with the first edition of “Paradise Lost “and all the rest of it.
If I could sail away to see it I would
I feel a creation coming on…
Go for it!
Nice 👌
It’s a perfect exhibit – a riot of color and delight tucked away inside the marble halls of the majestic Morgan.