From Feb ’12 Spotlight:
Skokie Public Library is currently hosting a national traveling exhibit called “In a Nutshell: The Worlds of Maurice Sendak.” Born in 1928, Sendak was raised in Depression-era Brooklyn. Both of his parents were Polish immigrants and as the SPL website notes: “threads of Jewish family, geography and culture are woven through the more than 100 picture books he illustrated.”
Although I love Sendak’s work (especially Brundibar, his collaboration with playwright Tony Kushner), I haven’t made it up to Skokie Public Libary myself yet. But the exhibit comes highly recommended by my friend Alan Todres (a member of the Chicago YIVO Board): “not least for the influence of Yiddish language and culture on the author/artist.”
In addition to the many events planned in connection with the exhibit, the library will show the documentary short Tell Them Anything You Want: A portrait of Maurice Sendak on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. Tell Them Anything was co-directed by Spike Jonze, who also directed the lovely award-winning adaptation of Where the Wild Things Are starring James Gandolfini-named one of the top ten films of 2009 by the National Board of Review.
For complete information, visit the SPL website.
