Wexner Center for the Arts: Visit: Art Spiegelman Residency Events

Art Spiegelman and Francoise Mouly to talk toons at Wex

Art Spiegelman at the Wex in October 2010. Photo: A.J. Zanyk

Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoon artist Art Spiegelman (Maus) and New Yorker art editor (and Spiegelman’s spouse) Françoise Mouly come to the Wexner Center May 19 and 20 for two free public lectures about comics art. Spiegelman will discuss the history of comics by focusing on Dick Tracy, and Mouly will discuss comics as a way to promote childhood literacy. Both talks are presented in conjunction with Ohio State’s Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum.

Art Spiegelman, “Dick Tracy, Chester Gould, and More”
Thursday, May 19 at 4 pm. Wexner Center Film/Video Theater. Free.

In this talk, Spiegelman shares his appreciation for comics’ most famous police detective, Dick Tracy, as well as the art of the character’s creator Chester Gould who wrote and drew the strip for more than four decades. An expert on the history of his field, Spiegelman will analyze Gould’s work and place it within the greater context of comics history. This visit marks Spiegelman’s second visit to town as part of his Wexner Center Residency Award.

Author of the graphic novel In the Shadow of No Towers (2004) in addition to Maus (1986/1991) and other works, Spiegelman is also a tireless and articulate advocate for cartoon art. He is coeditor, along with Mouly, of the series Little Lit (2000–2003) and A Toon Treasury of Classic Children’s Comics (2009).

This event will be streamed live at wexarts.org/live

A related event: The exhibition Dick Tracy: Chester Gould’s Blueprint Expressionism is on view May 2–August 19 in Ohio State's Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum, located just steps from the Wexner Center’s entrance (head north through the “grid”).

In addition, while in town, Spiegelman will participate in a special session with middle- and high-school students, where he will discuss Maus and his creative process. For more information, call 614-292-6493 or email edweb@wexarts.org

Françoise Mouly, “TOON Books and Young Readers”
Friday, May 20 at 4 pm. Wexner Center Film/Video Theater. Free.

In 2008, Mouly launched TOON Books, a series of hardcover comics aimed at young readers drawn by such artists as Jeff Smith, Jay Lynch, Spiegelman, and their daughter Nadja. The line of books has been a huge success with libraries, educators, and, most importantly, young readers. In this talk, Mouly will discuss the founding of TOON Books and her efforts to promote literacy.

An influential figure as the art editor at the New Yorker magazine since 1993, Mouly has also been a key figure in comics since the early 1980s, and cofounded the alternative comics magazine RAW.