A field trip

Today my sons asked me to accompany then on a field trip. earlier in the week they had seen part of this exhibit. They thought I would love it. We decided to go today. My boys were right. The exhibit is housed on the main floor of the main building of the library. It isn’t often when you attend an exhibit where all of the visitors seem so completely happy. The visitors ranged from babies in strollers, to large groups of day campers to older matrons one usually sees in museums. Everyone was just having a blast.

Aside from the usual vitrines and wall notes, various areas were set aside for reading actual books. Some books were on low shelves and we just plopped on the floor to read. Books for older kids were set up on a book shelf behind a bench. The bench was in constant use with kids and adults lost in a book. The display for The Secret Garden was made out of simulated boxwood with a secret shelf holding a copy of the book. The books that were out for reading were clearly read, but were also clearly handled with care by the many , many visitors.

 

I took some photos of some things that I particularly loved.

This is a British sewing manual for girls that comes with examples of the lessons taught bound into the book.

 

 

The Charlotte’s Web display.

 

The next two images need no introduction.

Original illustrations from Toot.

 

A beautiful Eastern European illustration.

 

I love Russian illustrations. I grew up with Israeli children’s books that were clearly influenced by Russian Constructivism as well as the idealization of pastoral life.

 

 

I just love these collage illustrations. I don’t know the books they came from but the collages are gorgeous.

I had never seen this Hebrew alphabet/poetry book before, written by Levi Kipnis who wrote many many songs that are part of the hebrew canon. .

The Faith Ringgold pieces were mock ups for a larger piece that was commissioned but never executed. I love how these small quilts are actually quilted, but they are not pieced. She painted all of the different fabrics onto the muslin with acrylic paint.

I think one of the reasons that the kids were all so willingly well behaved was the grandness of the space.

This is the ceiling. I couldn’t use a flash so the picture quality is not what I would like, never the less it’s pretty awe inspiring.

 

And this is just a bit of the floor.

The exhibit is up until March. It’s free, but it’s also wonderful.