Curated by Denis Kitchen and John Lind, ‘Will Eisner: The Centennial Celebration’ to be held March 1 – June 3.
NEW YORK -- The lasting legacy that Will Eisner (1917-2005) has in sequential art as the Champion of the Graphic Novel cannot be overstated. His innovative storytelling, layouts, and art on his newspaper series The Spirit inspired a generation of cartoonists, and his turn toward an acclaimed run of graphic novels, beginning in 1978 with A Contract with God, helped pioneer the form. Among the honors bestowed upon Eisner are the Reuben Award, the Milton Cani Lifetime Achievement Award, the Yellow Kid Award, the Society of Illustrators Hall of Fame and multiple Harvey Awards and Eisner Awards-the latter of which were named in his honor.
From March 1 - June 3, 2017, the Society of Illustrators in New York will host this two-floor retrospective- the largest Eisner exhibition ever in the United States. This exhibit, curated by Denis Kitchen and John Lind, comprises more than 150 pieces including original artwork from Smash Comics (1939); key sequences from his graphic novels A Contract with God (1978), Life on Another Planet (1983), A Life Force (1988), To the Heart of the Storm (1991), and more than 40 pages of originals from The Spirit (1940-1952) newspaper section. Also included are personal items from Eisner’s career, such as his studio drawing board, brushes, and awards.
- An opening reception will be held at the Society of Illustrators on the evening of March 10, from 7:30 - 11:00pm. Suggested donation of $20 helps support our programming and exhibitions. Cash bar will be open until midnight.
- On April 22, there will be a gallery talk led by curators Denis Kitchen and John Lind.
- A panel discussion on Will Eisner is scheduled for May 9.
Source: Society of Illustrators
