Somewhere, Steve Jobs is smiling
Everybody knows that every other digital animation studio is just a pretender to the Pixar throne. You can count The Museum of Modern Art along with those who know that Pixar is more than just kids movies that adults can enjoy and not just tolerate.
For the next two months or so, starting today, MoMA will be featuring original artwork on loan from Pixar.
In keeping with the Museum’s long tradition of presenting animation, this is the most extensive gallery exhibition that MoMA has ever devoted to the genre. Featuring over 500 works of original art on loan for the first time from Pixar Animation Studios, the show includes paintings, concept art, sculptures, and an array of digital installations. These works reveal the intricate, hands-on processes behind Pixar’s computer-generated films—including Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, and numerous shorts. The exhibition also includes a complete retrospective of Pixar films. Demonstrating the symbiotic relationship between traditional and digital media pioneered by the studio over its twenty-year history, Pixar: 20 Years of Animation is a tribute to the artists whose work has reinvented the genre.
If you’re planning to be in New York to crane your neck skyward to gawk at the giant Christmas tree, you might want to stop by MoMA to get out of the cold and enjoy some beautiful Pixar art.
On a semi-related note, I caught the “Star Wars: The Magic of Myth” exhibit when it was at the Smithsonian in 1998, and if this is half as interesting as that, it’ll be more than worth the price of admission. “Pixar: 20 Years of Animation” runs from December 14 through February 6. Check it.
